‘Zero on purpose’: Wild Raygun accusation

A senior Australian sports official has blasted Rachael Gunn’s Olympic break dancing as “disrespectful” and said “Aussies aren’t buying the Kool-aid”.

Olympic breakdancer Dr Rachael Gunn has been accused of aiming for “zero points on purpose” and being “disrespectful” to other Australian athletes by a leading sports official.

The harsh criticism is in contrast to growing calls for people to lay off Gunn, who is known as “Raygun” in competition, despite her poor performance in Paris.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese even offered up his support to Gunn, a cultural studies academic at Sydney’s Macquarie University.

“(It’s an) Australian tradition of people having a go. She’s had a go representing our country and that’s a good thing,” he said.

Gunn lost all three round-robin battles 18-0, 18-0, 18-0 against the USA, France and Lithuania at the Paris Olympics. Her unique style of breaking since going viral on social media.

Fans also mocked Gunn’s uniform – an Australian Olympic tracksuit – which stood out among her competitors who wore mostly streetwear.

Gunn initially was subjected to bafflement and criticism over her performance but that has steadily mellowed with even the breakdancing judges saying her lack of points was not a reflection on her ability.

Australia's Rachael Gunn, known as Raygun competes in the Women's Breaking dance round robin of the Paris 2024 Olympic Games at La Concorde in Paris, on August 9, 2024. (Photo by Odd ANDERSEN / AFP)

‘A disgrace’

However, fellow academic Professor Megan Davis hit out at Gunn and claimed her chief objective in going to Paris was for “subsidised academic study”.

Prof Davis is a key figure in the Uluru Statement from the Heart which proposed the Voice to parliament which was defeated in a referendum last year. She is also a pro vice chancellor of the University of New South Wales and commissioner on the Australian Rugby League Commission, which administers NRL.

“Getting zero points on purpose in three rounds for an academic study subsidised by the taxpayer both at a university and Olympic level isn’t funny and isn’t ‘having a go’,” Prof Davis said on social media.

“(It’s) disrespectful to other competitors.

“I’m glad most Aussies aren’t buying the Kool-Aid”.

Professor Megan Davis, a pro vice-chancellor at the University of New South Wales and senior sports administrator called Gunn a “disgrace”.

Prof Davis added that Gunn’s rehabilitation was driven by “mainstream media” which has recast her as a “fun Aussie gal”.

“Affluent, comfortable life, educated, not a care in the world, nothing matters really, what fun, what a fun Aussie gal, chortle chortle.”

However, The Australian has reported that the only funding Gunn received from a public organisation was to pay for her travel to the Olympic stage and it didn’t appear she received money for an academic trip.

Neither the Australian Sports Commission of Macquarie University contributed to her going to Paris. The Australian Olympic Committee did fund Gunn’s travel to Paris.

The City of Sydney Council gave Gunn and $20,278 grant in 2022 to research “Spaces for Street Dance”.

Raygun leaving the Olympic Village on her way to the closing ceremony with her trademark kangaroo move.

Raygun breakdancing in the Olympic Village for Australian athletes.

Raygun defended

Ahead of Sunday’s closing ceremony, breaking head judge Martin Gilian, who performs as “MGbility”, said Raygun’s score wasn’t a sign she did terribly, and said the breaking community “definitely stands behind her”.

“Breaking is all about originality and bringing something new to the table and representing your country or region,” he said.

“This is exactly what Raygun was doing. She got inspired by her surroundings, which in this case, for example, was a kangaroo.”

MGbility said there are five criteria the judges look at when making a decision, and Raygun’s level was “maybe not as high” as that of her competitors.

“But again, that doesn’t mean that she did really bad. She did her best. She won the Oceania qualifier,” he said.

“Unfortunately for her, the other B-girls were better”.

Originally published as ‘Zero on purpose’: Wild Raygun accusation