AUSBreak, the Australian breaking organization, has firmly rebutted claims that Rachael Gunn, known as Raygun, manipulated the selection process for the 2024 Paris Olympics. The organization publicly expressed its support for the 36-year-old athlete, who recently gained viral attention for her breaking, or breakdancing, performance.
Raygun competed in the breaking competition on August 9, 2024, during the Olympic Games in Paris, but did not medal. Despite her performance not securing a podium finish, her routine captivated audiences worldwide and became a sensation on social media.
In a statement released on August 13, AUSBreak emphasized that the selection process for the Paris Games followed the “World DanceSport Federation (WDSF) regulations, which are in line with International Olympic Committee (IOC) standards.” The organization assured that the process was “fair and transparent.”
“The Oceania Olympic selection event in October 2023 brought together the top Breakers, both B-girls and B-boys,” the statement read. “A panel of nine international adjudicators, along with a head judge and a chairperson overseeing the competition, used the same judging system at the Paris Games and were trained to uphold the highest standards of impartiality.”
Raygun did not respond to requests for comment regarding the allegations.
The controversy surrounding Raygun intensified after an anonymous Reddit post circulated online. The post claimed that Raygun, along with her husband and coach Samuel Free, who were purportedly founders of the Australian Breaking Association, manipulated the selection process to secure her spot on the Olympic team.
An anonymous user, known only as “Someone Who Hates Corruption,” also launched a petition on Change.org on August 11. The petition, which had garnered over 32,000 signatures by August 14, accused Raygun of unethical conduct and called for an investigation into the selection process.
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The Sydney Morning Herald addressed these claims on August 12, debunking the allegation that Raygun had any undue influence. The outlet clarified that Lowe Napalan, another prominent Australian breaking champion, is actually the founder of the organization in question.
In its response, AUSBreak assured that the judges for the Oceanic qualification event were “highly respected” within the international breaking community. The organization stated that Raygun and fellow Australian competitor Jeff Dunne were selected based solely on their performance during the qualification battles.
“Raygun and her fellow competitor were chosen based on their performance on that day,” AUSBreak’s statement confirmed. The organization also noted that Raygun has used her platform leading up to the Paris Games to advocate for the history, artistic values, and cultural origins of breaking.
“The pressure to perform on the Olympic stage is immense, particularly against the highly skilled opponents in her group,” AUSBreak added.
Despite the swirling controversy, Raygun remains positive about her Olympic experience. On August 8, she shared on Instagram that competing in the Olympics was both an “honor and a privilege.” She expressed hope that breaking’s debut at the Olympics would inspire a new generation of breakers.
“I hope that seeing breaking at the Olympics inspires a whole new generation of breakers,” Raygun wrote.
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As the debate continues, AUSBreak stands firmly behind Raygun, reinforcing their commitment to fair practices and transparency in the selection process.
