PEYONGCHANG, South Korea _ Hours after winning the men's halfpipe at these 2018 Winter Olympics, Shaun White faced questions about a sexual harassment suit filed by Lena Zawaideh, a former drummer in his band. The claim, which dates to 2016, has returned to the news this week.
"Honestly, I'm here to talk about the Olympics, not gossip," White told reporters.
"I am who I am, and I'm proud of who I am," he continued. "And my friends, you know, love me and vouch for me, and I think that stands on its own."
When a reporter tried to follow up, U.S. Ski & Snowboard official Nick Alexakos interrupted, saying: "I think we're here to talk about the gold medal. ... If you don't have another question, why don't you go ahead and pass the mike."
Later in the day, during an appearance on NBC's "Today" show, White apologized for using "gossip" in reference to the lawsuit, saying it was "a poor choice of words to describe such a sensitive subject" and that he is "truly sorry."
In an email to the media, Zawaideh's attorney took exception, stating: "Mr. White's comments, on the world stage, directly impugn the character of Ms. Zawaideh. No woman wants to be called a 'gossip' or a liar by the harasser."
According to the lawsuit, White repeatedly sexually harassed Zawaideh, forced her to watch pornography and told her how to dress and get her hair cut.
The suit also alleged that on separate occasions, White grabbed Zawaideh's backside, tried to kiss her and shoved a bottle of vodka into her mouth and forced her to drink from it.
The parties settled for an undisclosed amount in May.
