"Denied crucial funding by Dr. Gunn" — Petition against Raygun over alleged unethical Olympics selection receives more than 5,000 signatures

Australian breakdancer Raygun, whose real name is Rachel Gunn, began trending online after her seemingly unconventional performance at the 2024 Paris Olympics last week. In the videos that have now garnered severe traction, the 36-year-old was seen exhibiting unusual moves, including squirming and hopping around the dance floor while touching her toes.

In the wake of this, on August 12, a petition was started on the Change.org platform by a person who dubbed themselves as “someone who hates corruption.” Titled, “Hold Raygun Rachel Gunn & Anna Meares Accountable for Unethical Conduct Olympic Selection,” it has fulfilled the original goal of 5,000 signatures in less than 24 hours.

“The NT Youlong Boys, a group of incredibly talented and underprivileged youth from the Northern Territory, were denied crucial funding by Dr. Gunn to attend the qualifiers — a decision that directly impacted their chance to showcase their skills on a national stage,” the petition read.

The petition against Raygun. (Image via X/ Bad_Manners)

It further claimed “immediate accountability and transparency” by Raygun and the Australian chef de mission Anna Meares for playing an “unethical” role in the selection process of Australian female breakdancers for the Olympics.

---

Exploring the petition against Raygun

On Monday, parties identifying as “undersigned” began a petition on the Change.org website to hold Rachel Gunn and Anna Meares accountable for their role in the selection process of Australian breakdancers at the 2024 Paris Olympics.

“Rachel Gunn, who set up her own governing body for breakdancing, has manipulated the selection process to her own advantage. Despite the clear talent and qualifications of other outstanding female breakdancers like G Clef and Holy Molly, they were unfairly overlooked,” the petition read.

It also accused Raygun of refusing “crucial funding” to a breakdancing group called NT Youlong Boys to take part in the Olympics qualifiers, yet going on to “win her own qualifier” by beating “other phenomenal breakdancers” adding that it has raised “serious questions about the fairness and integrity of the process.”

“If Dr. Gunn's husband is indeed the Australian coach and part of the selection panel, this represents a blatant conflict of interest that cannot go unchecked. We demand a public apology from Rachel Gunn and Anna Meares for misleading the Australian public and attempting to gaslight the public and undermining the efforts of genuine athletes,” the petition stated.

It also called for a thorough investigation into the selection process, along with an “audit” of Raygun’s “business dealings.” The petition, which has earned 5089 signatures at the time of writing, also questioned Rachel Gunn’s “lack of ethics and morals” which it alleged impacts not only the sanctity of breakdancing as a sport but also her “fitness to teach and hold any position of authority.”

“Australia must do better by its athletes and ensure that the principles of fairness, transparency, and integrity are upheld in all aspects of Olympic selection,” the petition concluded.

---

In brief, understanding how Raygun qualified for the Olympics

Rachel Gunn, who is originally a jazz, tap, and ballroom dancer, began training in breakdancing after getting married to breakdancing coach Samuel Free in 2018. A year before that, she earned her doctorate in “the intersection of gender and Sydney’s breaking culture.”

Three years later, she became a member of the Australian Breaking Association and soon earned the position of its “top-ranked B-Girl.” She took part in the World Breaking Championships in Paris and Seoul in 2021 and 2022 respectively. Later, she participated in and won the Oceania Championships in October 2023, thus qualifying for the 2024 Paris Olympics.

Unfortunately, at the Games, she lost all three round-robin (group stage) levels and did not even score any points. She was 18-0 each against the USA, France, and Lithuania.

In the wake of this, Raygun became a center of criticism and trolling on the internet, with many questioning how and why she was allowed to participate in the Olympics.

For instance, Australian academic, Aboriginal activist, and human rights lawyer Megan Davis took to her social media and slammed Raygun for her performance.

“Getting zero points on purpose in three rounds for an academic study subsidized by the taxpayer both at a university and Olympic level isn’t funny and isn’t ‘having a go.’ (It’s) disrespectful to other competitors. I’m glad most Aussies aren’t buying the Kool-Aid,” Professor Davis wrote.

Meanwhile, in the face of backlash, Dr. Gunn told the reporters that she was aware of her “underdog” status and simply wanted to make her mark in a “different way” and not be “afraid” to do it while representing her country. She also claimed that all her moves were “original.”

“I was never going to beat these girls on what they do best, the dynamic and the power moves. So, I wanted to move differently, be artistic and creative because how many chances do you get in a lifetime to do that on an international stage?” the New South Wales native stated.

She also expressed her disappointment that breakdancing will not be a sport at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Similarly, Anna Meares, whose name has also been mentioned in the petition, went on to hail Raygun in her statement and called her the “best female breakdancer” in Australia and an “absolutely loved member” of their Olympics team.

She added that Rachel was one of the first female breakdancers in their country and had to overcome many obstacles to succeed in a “male-dominated sport.”