Viewers unhappy with NBC’s Mikaela Shiffrin interview after she skis out at Olympics
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As a two-time Olympic gold medalist and six-time world champion, skier Mikaela Shiffrin had high hopes going into the Winter Olympics in Beijing, China.
But after crashing in her first event, the giant slalom, Shiffrin missed a gate on her first run in the slalom on Tuesday and was designated as “Did Not Finish.”
After that race, Shiffrin talked to reporters in the mixed zone and was interviewed on NBC Sports. An emotional Shiffrin said she was second-guessing “the last 15 years, everything I thought I knew about my own skiing and slalom and racing mentality.”
On social media, other athletes showed their support for Shiffrin, including gymnast Simone Biles, skier Lindsey Vonn and Shiffrin’s boyfriend, Aleksander Kilde.
— Simone Biles (@Simone_Biles) February 9, 2022
Gutted for @MikaelaShiffrin but this does not take away from her storied career and what she can and will accomplish going forward. Keep your head high ️ pic.twitter.com/fSgqSii0JA
— lindsey vonn (@lindseyvonn) February 9, 2022
What @AleksanderKilde said.
All the love, positivity, and support your way, @MikaelaShiffrin. pic.twitter.com/3JVkPiN2hn— U.S. Ski & Snowboard Team (@usskiteam) February 9, 2022
Shiffrin showed her gratitude for that message from Kilde. “My hope for every human is that they find another human who finds a way to love, understand, and heal them in the way @AleksanderKilde has done and continues to for me,” Shiffrin wrote on Twitter.
My hope for every human is that they
find another human who finds a way to
love, understand, and heal them in the way @AleksanderKilde has done and
continues to for me ️ https://t.co/sDrTptur4R— Mikaela Shiffrin (@MikaelaShiffrin) February 9, 2022
Fans watching on TV were saddened and some wished NBC had not conducted the interview. Here is what was being said.
2/8, 10:43 pm: Mikaela Shiffrin’s interview with NBC is just gut-wrenching. Let her live and process in private, there’s no need to put her through this.
— Gina (@ginasportsball) February 9, 2022
That Mikaela Shiffrin interview was the saddest thing ever. I want to give her a hug.
— Melllllll (@gymwatcher2019) February 9, 2022
Correct that was horrible to watch we screamed at the TV to stop asking her questions.
— Core Athletix (@CoreAthletix) February 9, 2022
Damn…I just watched Mikaela Shiffrin’s 2nd DNF and it was heart breaking to see her sitting there shocked and devastated and then that interview to top it off. It has to suck to be seen as one of the best in the sport and then have two back to back dnf.
— Ann ~EveL~ (@theminhoney) February 9, 2022
— Whatever I said it ! (@whateverisaidit) February 9, 2022
My heart aches for Mikaela Shiffrin. I’m also consumed with anger at the NBC corporate machine that takes glee in cutting down athletes in the pursuit of entertainment and ratings.
— Slimbolaria Jâime (@ritzcrackerman) February 9, 2022
Many times over 50 years I've tried to explain to people that, yes, journalists HAVE to try to interview the losing team/individual. But NBC's coverage of Shiffrin--relentless pre-race hype, heartless post-race camera study--is WAY out of whack, as it was for Biles. Figure it out
— Jack McCallum (@McCallum12) February 9, 2022
That Mikaela Shiffrin NBC interview was hard to watch. Just leave her alone. Stop making athletes talk about their greatest disappointments right after they happen.
— Amy Stamm (@amystamm14) February 9, 2022
