Canada's Kim Boutin is being threatened online after winning the bronze medal in the short track speedskating 500-meter event following the disqualification of a South Korean athlete.
Choi Min-jeong initially finished second was but disqualified shortly afterward for interfering with another skater. That decision saw Boutin take a spot on the podium instead of the local athlete.
Following that decision, Boutin received various threats on social media. According to CBC, those threats include:
- "Aren't you ashamed to have cheated in the last Olympic Games?"
- "You know what? You should be disqualified. Shame on you!"
- "If I find you, you will die."
- "Retire and I hope you have a hard life."
While the majority of the comments blamed the referee for the decision, there were a few that caused concern for Boutin. Her father, Pierre Boutin, told CBC Radio-Canada that the Royal Canadian Mounted Police, Canadian Olympic Committee, and Speed Skating Canada are handling the situation.
Boutin is back in action Saturday in the 1,500-meter race.
