Bode Miller on Austrian skier's struggles: 'It might be her husband's fault'
Five-time Olympic medalist Bode Miller took some heat during his work on the NBC broadcast of the women's giant slalom on Thursday, after he suggested that a recent marriage might be the reason for Austrian Anna Veith's struggles.
Veith - who got married late in 2016 - struggled in her opening run, prompting broadcaster Dan Hicks to discuss a knee injury she was dealing with. Miller immediately chimed in with some regrettable comments.
"The knee is certainly an issue," Miller said on the broadcast. "I want to point out, she also got married. It's historically very challenging to race on World Cup with a family or after being married. You know, not to blame the spouses, but I just want to toss out there that it might be her husband's fault."
Miller would later apologize for his comments during the broadcast and take to Twitter to explain his reasoning.
To be clear I was not seriously blaming Anna Veith's lack of results on her husband. It's a changing of priorities that is historically hard, male or female.
— Bode Miller (@MillerBode) February 15, 2018
Veith, who won the silver medal in the event at Sochi 2014, finished her first run in the finals in 15th place.