No Security Concerns for Team USA in South Korea

(ATR) Athletes and United States Olympic Committee officials say they are unfazed by the negative media attention surrounding PyeongChang 2018 and tensions in the Korean peninsula.

"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 during a conference call ahead of the 100 day countdown to PyeongChang 2018.

"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."

Escalating rhetoric between U.S. President Donald Trump and North Korean Premier Kim Jong Un have caused some concerns that the geopolitical standoff in the Korean peninsula could leak into the Games next February and March. Earlier this week, British Olympic Association president Bill Sweeney said the BOA had devised an evacuation contingency plan if an attack were to occur during the Games.

When asked if the USOC had devised a similar plan, USOC vice president of sport performance Kelly Skinner told ATR that Team USA defers to the U.S. State Department for security advice during the Games.

"Team USA is always prepared for any place that we go and we work closely with the State Department with anything that needs to be done to make sure that Team USA is safe and secure," Skinner said. "Our focus is always just on those areas, so other things that may need to happen to make sure we are safe and secure is dictated to us by the State Department and the close relationship we have with them."

While many believe a physical attack during the Olympics or Paralympics by North Korea is extremely unlikely, some have expressed fears over cyber security attacks on athletes and team officials. Olympians Duggan and Gus Kenworthy and Paralympian Oksana Masters told ATR they will take precautions to prevent this and receive support from the USOC.

"The team that we have in place at the USOC and their plans are always in place for us and they are always updating us in regards to security and everything else under the sun," Duggan emphasized. "It’s always simple, it’s always streamlined, the communication is always incredible and we put our full trust in that in regards to everything."

Kenworthy, a slopestyle silver medalist at Sochi 2014, added that there is always some over-hyped concern ahead of the Games so his preparation will remain unchanged.

"Every Olympics, every country you go to, every qualifying event there’s always different safety concerns; whether it's cyber or on the ground, an issue with food or insects or whatever it is, our safety is the number one priority for Team USA and they do everything to make us feel safe," he said. "I’ve never felt particularly unsafe at any of the events and I doubt this will be any different."

Masters agreed with Duggan and Kenworthy, but noted that the responsibility of staying safe lies on the athlete as well as the USOC.

"I also kind of take it on more of my level, I feel like from a cyber security standpoint, it’s something I can take under control and make sure I’m not going in any area that isn’t secure," the two-time Paralympic medalist in cross-country skiing told ATR. "I’ll be smart with what I’m doing.

"I’ve competed in South Korea over four times now and I’ve never once felt unsafe or worried about getting hacked or that anything crazy is happening. The people are wonderful there and we have huge support there and I’m really looking forward to eating a lot of kimchi."

Each of these athletes will participate in Team USA's 100 day countdown to PyeongChang 2018 event in Times Square, New York on Nov. 1. Athletes will appear on NBC's Today Show, sign autographs and give sport demonstrations throughout the day. For the first time in the event's history, a one-hour special will be produced for the Olympic Channel showing highlights from the day and featuring a performance from Darius Rucker.

The PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympics will take place from Feb. 9-25 followed by the Paralympics March 9-18.

Written by Kevin Nutley

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