(ATR) The United States Olympic Committee says there have been no talks of Team USA athletes not participating in the upcoming PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics and Paralympics.
In a statement, the USOC responds to recent comments from U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Nikki Haley who said U.S. athletes traveling to South Korea is still an "open question".
"We have not had any discussions, either internally or with our government partners, about the possibility of not taking teams to the 2018 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games," USOC spokesperson Mark Jones said in a statement.
"We plan on supporting two full delegations in PyeongChang."
Speaking to Fox News, Haley said those discussions may need to come up in the coming weeks.
"I think those are conversations we are going to have to have, but what have we always said? We don't ever fear anything, we live our lives," Haley said. "And certainly that is a perfect opportunity for all of them to go and do something they have worked so hard for.
"What we will do is make sure that we are taking every precaution possible, to make sure that they are safe."
Haley raised the concerns following escalating tensions between the U.S. and North Korea, with joint military drills of the U.S. and South Korea sparking war-ready rhetoric from North Korean Premier Kim Jong Un.
When asked about Haley's comments, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said on Thursday "no official decision has been made" and that while the goal is to have the U.S. team go to PyeongChang a decision "will be made closer to time".
Sanders added that while the decision is an "inter-agency process" she said "President Trump would weigh in" at some point.
The U.S. President has not been coy with his comments towards North Korea, calling the country’s leader "Rocket Boy" on numerous occasions for his proclivity for missile threats.
Team USA athletes have consistently said they are not concerned with increased media attention to security concerns ahead of the PyeongChang 2018 Games.
"As athletes, when the Games get near or any major event, we get a lot of questions about safety and security, whether its cyber or on the ground," two-time Winter Olympic silver medalist Meghan Duggan told Around the Rings in October.
"We never even focus on it," the forward for Team USA’s ice hockey team says. "It’s a bigger issue in the media no question and we get a lot of questions about it, but having been to two Olympics I’ve never felt unsafe once, not for one minute and I expect that this will be the exact same situation."
Olympic gold medalist Lindsey Vonn told CNN that she is more concerned with the political situation at home than abroad. Vonn says that if she wins a gold medal at PyeongChang 2018, she will not visit the White House to meet President Trump.
"I take the Olympics very seriously and what they mean and what they represent, what walking under our flag means in the opening ceremony," Vonn told CNN. "I want to represent our country well. I don't think that there are a lot of people currently in our government that do that.
"I hope to represent the people of the United States, not the President."
Written by Kevin Nutley
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