Equestrian Star Shane Rose Asserts ‘I Am a Good Person’ Amid Olympic Controversy

Shane Rose, a three-time Olympic medallist in equestrian events, is wrapped in controversy which is seemingly jeopardizing his route to the Summer Olympics. After wearing a ‘mankini’ swimsuit during a showjumping event near Sydney, he was reportedly stood down from the competition. And in lieu of this, he is facing uncertainty regarding the fourth Olympics.

The controversial outfit, inspired by the movie Borat, led to the filing of complaints and reviews registered with Equestrian Australia (EA) and Sports Integrity Australia. While Rose apologizes for any offense caused, he hopes to continue his campaign for the Paris Olympics.

Shane Rose faces review over ‘Mankini’ controversy

Fox Sports took the time to release the statement of Olympian Shane Rose amidst the Olympian controversy. The equestrian riders were encouraged to wear “extraordinary” outfits during the event near Sydney last weekend. The fancy dress event was held on February 11, at the Wallaby Hill Extravaganza in the Southern Highlands. Shane Rose had taken to don three outfits during the event, i.e., a gorilla suit, a Duffman beer suit, and the G-string swimsuit popularized in the movie Borat.

As the controversial outfit prompted complaints, he faced setbacks. The statement released by EA reads, “As with any high-performance athlete, Shane is bound by the High Performance and Equestrian Australia Codes of Conduct and Athlete Agreement”. While he is not officially suspended or sanctioned, Rose has been temporarily removed from competition. Talking about the review, Rose emphasizes, “I think I am a good person and I do a lot for the sport, and for people in different situations. I don’t feel like I have done anything particularly bad.”

Moreover, reflecting on the situation he remarks, “I should have re-thought what I did but at the time I thought it was just a bit of fun. Hopefully in a couple of days we can all move on and it will be behind us.” He also received support from his fellow equestrians.

The equestrian community comes ahead in Rose’s support

Fellow equestrians have taken to criticize EA’s response on the grounds and social media platforms. They labeled it as an overreaction, adding that Rose’s costume was not offensive, but simply humorous.  They have also changed their Facebook display picture to Borat, supporting Rose.

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Equestrian Vicki Roycroft told called it “a massive overreaction” from EA, whereas dressage rider Mary Hanna remarked: “Please EA, don’t do this to Shane.” Rose, known for his past Olympic achievements, awaits EA’s decision on his future participation in competitive events.

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