Trump joke ‘overshadows’ US women’s Olympic success

A “distasteful joke” by US President Donald Trump has overshadowed the achievement of female athletes at the Winter Olympics, says USA women’s ice hockey captain Hilary Knight.

USA won both men’s and women’s ice hockey gold for the first time at the Milan-Cortina Games this month.

The men’s team received a congratulatory call from Trump, who invited them to his State of the Union address and said he would have to ask their female counterparts as well or he “probably would be impeached”.

The women’s team later declined an invitation from Trump to attend Tuesday’s speech in Washington DC.

The men’s team was criticised after several players appeared to laugh when Trump made his comment, but Knight said: “I think there’s a genuine level of support there and respect. That’s being overshadowed by a quick lapse.

“The guys were in a tough spot, so I think it’s a shame this storyline and narrative has kind of blown up and [is] overshadowing that connection and genuine interest in one another and cheering each other on.”

Knight, 36, ended her Olympic career with 15 goals, the most by any US male or female player.

She said she hopes the Trump controversy proves to be a “really good learning point, to really focus on how we talk about women, not only in sport but in industry”.