US Olympic gold medallist Sunisa Lee ‘pepper sprayed in anti-Asian racist attack’
- The gymnast said she was out with friends when a car drove by with its occupants shouting slurs
- Lee won women’s all-around gymnastics gold at the Tokyo Games this year, succeeding defending champion Simone Biles after she withdrew
American Olympic gymnastics gold medallist Sunisa Lee said in an interview with media outlet PopSugar that she was recently pepper sprayed in an anti-Asian attack while out with friends in Los Angeles.
Lee said in the interview posted on Wednesday that she and friends were waiting for an Uber ride when a car drove by with its occupants shouting slurs and that she was pepper sprayed on her arm as the car sped away.
“I was so mad, but there was nothing I could do or control because they skirted off,” said Lee, who is of Hmong descent.
“I didn’t do anything to them, and having the reputation, it’s so hard because I didn’t want to do anything that could get me into trouble. I just let it happen.”
Lee won women’s all-around gymnastics gold at the Tokyo Games this year, succeeding defending champion Simone Biles after she withdrew.