Big Brother VIP: Caitlyn Jenner no fan of political Olympic Games

Sporting great Caitlyn Jenner — who is in Australia to compete on reality TV show Big Brother VIP — has called out the politicising of the Olympics.

She is famously launching her own bid for public office back home but US sporting great Caitlyn Jenner says there is no room for politics at the Olympics.

In Australia to compete on reality show Big Brother VIP, Jenner warned that sports and affairs of state were a dangerous mix.

When she was competing as Bruce Jenner, the now 71-year-old won gold at the 1976 Montreal Games in the men’s decathlon event and proudly waved the American flag.

“The political side of it, trying to make political points, it will destroy the games,” the former member of the Kardashian clan told The Sunday Telegraph.

“Be proud to be there, love your country. I was the first one ever to put up an American flag or any flag at the finish line because I was really proud of my country and proud of what I accomplished, and today sometimes that is not the case and that really bothers me.”

Bruce Jenner celebrates his decathlon win in the 1976 Montreal Olympics. Picture: Tony Duffy /Allsport

Bruce Jenner (centre) after his gold medal win the men's decathlon competition in 1976. Picture: AFP

Jenner also competed in the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, when nine members of the Israeli Olympic team were taken hostage after killing two more.

“Unfortunately in some cases, people use it for political purposes,” Jenner, who six years ago transitioned to become a woman, said.

“Literally I was in the 1972 Olympic Games and what happened there kind of started it all when terrorists came in and took the Israeli’s hostage, it was in the building right next to me. I saw that, I was right there and I hated it.”

Jenner is in Australia competing on reality television show, Big Brother VIP, which will air on Channel 7 later this year.

Caitlyn Jenner with Big Brother VIP host Sonia Kruger. Picture: Nigel Wright

She spent two weeks in mandatory hotel quarantine in Sydney before entering the Big Brother house.

“I just want to continue to be out there,” Jenner said.

“I want to be visible. And it is not so much what I say or doing a show about these issues, about gender dysphoria and this and that, it is about honestly doing a show like this. Life went on for me.

“I went through this and life went on and life is good. I am still working, I am still doing things, I want that to be an example to the next generation of young people who are coming up dealing with these issues.

“It is tough to get through but once you get through it and you get to the other side, life can be good and that is what I want to be an example of.”

Jenner, who was married to Kris Kardashian before she transitioned, is one of 12 contestants taking part in the ‘celebrity’ version of the reality show.

Currently filming in Homebush, the format will be slightly different with contestants entering the first ever Big Brother Hotel to compete for $100,000 for their chosen charity.

Former Donald Trump political aide Omarosa Manigault Newman and Meghan Markle’s estranged half brother, Thomas Markle Jr, are the other internationals taking part while the Australians include Bernard Curry, Imogen Anthony and Luke Toki.

The location of the Big Brother VIP hotel. Picture: Supplied/Channel 7

“We sat around, all of us, for a year, shut down,” Jenner said.

“And I have always liked doing things. I want to get up in the morning excited about the day. During Covid, everything is locked down, it is boring … horrible. So when opportunities came about, I wanted to work. I enjoy working and so I said, ‘yeah, let’s do this’.”

Jenner will jump on a plane as soon as she wraps production on Big Brother VIP as she has a political campaign to run and is in the middle of a campaign for Governor of California.

“If you don’t like something that is happening, especially politically, don’t sit there and complain about it, do something about it,” she said.

“I figured if I get into this race, it becomes almost a national race because the media is going to really cover this thing. As soon as I am done here, I am off to California and back on the campaign trail.”