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Debunking the conspiracy theories surrounding Australia’s B-Girl Raygun

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The essentials: A viral, meme-worthy moment from the Paris Olympics was quickly overshadowed by hate and vicious lies, with some falsely claiming that Australian B-girl Raygun, aka Rachael Gunn, had conspired to get into the games.

The context: Gunn performed one of the best…unforgettable Breaking routines in Paris, conquered the Internet with her kangaroo dance and ultimately failed to score any points.

  • The 36-year-old said she would bring “creativity” to breakdancing with her original moves, knowing she couldn't match the power of her younger competitors. Okay.

The misinformation: After the Games, false allegations emerged that Gunn and her husband and coach Samuel Free had manipulated Australia's qualifying process in order to compete in the Games.

  • The rumor mill spread so quickly that a petition on change.org calling for a “full investigation” into Gunn received 57,000 signatures. It has since been deleted at the request of the Australian Olympic Committee (AOC).

The facts: Neither Gunn nor her husband have ever held leadership positions in Australian breakdancing organizations, and Gunn secured her Olympic spot last October by receiving top marks from a panel of nine judges, none of whom were Australian.

  • AOC has come to Gunn's defense and condemned the harassment and bullying she has faced. Gunn, on the other hand, has asked for privacy and described the hate she has received online as “devastating.” Enough is enough.