When it comes to skiing, no name is more synonymous with the sport than Shaun White. The "Flying Tomato" as he was once identified early on in his occupation, was a fan favourite now not just for his fearlessness at the part pipe but as a result of he was a true Olympic comeback story as smartly. With his enticing personality and carefree spirit, no longer to mention his evolving style making him unrecognizable from the first Olympics he participated in, it seemed like White was the kind of athlete that fans, without reference to age may embody.
Unfortunately, there was once a other aspect to White that his lovers weren't conscious about as smartly. This was the more rebellious side that many in White's internal circle sought after to chalk up to age and speedy fame going to White's head. Because of this, tales had been spun that painted White in the most productive conceivable light. But when White was once accused of sexual harassment, there used to be no quantity of brushing the subject below the rug that could lend a hand White escape the accusations. As a result, the five-time Olympian had to face the track and own up to what he did to any individual he regarded as a friend.
Shaun White Has Something Of A Troubled Past
White has been very fortunate that poor decisions he has made each throughout his more youthful days and as a extra mature adult have not achieved anything to mar his occupation. But, in all probability had there been extra penalties for questionable conduct as a man in his young twenties, better possible choices would had been made as White elderly.
When White was in his mid-twenties, he went out in Nashville, Tennessee to have fun with friends and family. But as a substitute of preserving the night gentle and amusing, things took a turn when White got extremely intoxicated and got into trouble with law enforcement.
The incident started when White was once accused through an worker of "smashing" a hotel phone. When White was once faced about it, he began to pull the entire fire alarms inside of achieve in an apparent strive to draw consideration clear of himself so that he could make an escape from the hotel.
This was once when a guest known as law enforcement and things took a turn for the more serious.
"Once the guest told Mr. White that he called the police, Mr. White attempted to attack the man and fell and hit his head," the police report learn that was taken in a while in the evening.
White used to be taken to a native sanatorium to have his injuries checked. He used to be then booked and "released on his own recognizance" after the guest did not press charges. The most effective charges that were brought in opposition to White for the incident have been misdemeanors that resulted from White refusing to signal a citation.
After the incident, White publicly apologized for his actions.
White stated, in phase, that he used to be sorry for "any inconvenience it caused my family, friends, business partners, the hotel and their guests." Further, he stated that his habits used to be a results of "celebrating a happy occasion with a ton of family and friends and got carried away." White then apologized for his "poor behavior."
After this incident, White's identify would keep out of the news for several years for not up to stellar conduct. But when that behavior reared its unpleasant head, it got here back with a vengeance.
Shaun White Admitted To Wrongdoing In A Sexual Harassment Case
In 2016, White's identify would once more hit the clicking for wrongdoing. Instead of a prank or public intoxication, alternatively, it was one thing much more critical. This time, it was for a sexual harassment case being brought against him via a former bandmate and good friend.
White used to be a part of the band, Bad Things. One of his bandmates, drummer, Lena Zawaideh accused White of "continuous harassment and verbal abuse."
In the ones accusations, Zawaideh claimed that "White sent her sexually explicit and graphic images... and forced her to watch sexually disturbing videos."
Zawaideh also claimed that White "stuck his hand down the front of his pants and attempted to make her smell it." She alleged that all of this showed that White had a "darker, misogynistic personality" than the general public was once acutely aware of.
For his part, White admitted that text messages Zawaideh claimed she received were real. However, the total swimsuit was "bogus."
"Many years ago, I exchanged texts with a friend who is now using them to craft a bogus lawsuit," White mentioned in a commentary, in accordance to The Cut. "There is absolutely no coincidence to the timing of her claims, and we will defend them vigorously in court."
However, the case by no means made it to courtroom. And on account of this, the main points of what really happened between White and Zawaideh had been by no means published.
How Did Shaun White's Sexual Harassment Case End?
The sexual harassment case towards White by no means went to court docket because it was once settled in 2017 as a substitute. However, this could not be the last that the public heard of the accusations against White.
As in 2018, the #MeToo motion began and many celebrities were caught in the scandal. With it, White was once again the subject of public scrutiny.
In 2018, White was once in pursuit of an Olympic medal during the PyeongChang Olympics. During this time, many newshounds caught to talking of the sport of skiing instead of asking White the tough questions concerning the claims of sexual harassment towards him.
However, the elephant in the room was ultimately addressed, reputedly striking White in the similar workforce as some of the biggest #MeToo villains, and White was none too glad about it.
"Honestly, I’m here to talk about the Olympics, not gossip,” White explained. "I'm who I am, and I’m happy with who I'm, and my buddies love me and vouch for me, and I think that stands on its own."
After the clicking lambasted White for calling sexual harassment accusations "gossip," he backpedaled for using the word. However, he did not apologize for the harassment.
"I’m actually sorry that I selected the phrase gossip," White said while he was on the Today Show. "It used to be a poor collection of words to describe such a sensitive subject in the arena these days."
That "apology" also did not sit well with the press. And because of this, White was finally forced to give a public apology, this time to The New York Times, according to Vox, for what he had done years prior
"I be apologetic about my habits of many years in the past and am sorry that I made any person — particularly somebody I thought to be a pal — uncomfortable," White expressed.
He went on to state that since that time he has “grown and changed as a person, as we all grow and change, and am proud of who I am today."
Once that apology used to be given, White was once all but forgiven for what he had performed in the courtroom of public opinion. And in the years since, White's recognition was restored allowing him to move out on top as an influential drive in the world of snowboarding.
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