US gymnast Olivia Dunne has begged fans to "be respectful" of the gymnastics community after they crowded an arena during a meet in Salt Lake City, Utah, on Friday (January 5).
The 20-year-old Louisiana State University gymnast - who has garnered a legion of fans on social media and 2.7 million Instagram followers - was not in the final lineup for the event, despite her team competing. However, this didn't deter hundreds of young men and boys who flocked to the meet, hoping to see her.
Utah sports journalist Josh Furlong live-tweeted the scene at the arena, writing: "There's a group of fans that keep chanting 'Livvy'.
"For those that don't know, Livvy Dunne for LSU is the most followed college athlete on social media and her [name, image, likeness] is valued somewhere near $2.7 million," the tweet continued.
However, according to the mother of one of the gymnasts, the crowd waiting for Dunne was "disrespectful" to other gymnasts. "I am a mother of a Utah gymnast, as we were walking to the car the group swarmed my daughter and her teammate.
"They literally said to their faces, you are not Livvy but you will do, can we get a picture. [The group] also called my daughter Livvy 2.0. They were so rude and disrespectful. It was very hard for mama bear not to come out," the mom said, via Outkick.
"[Dunne's teammates] were approached by a large group of teenage boys, disappointed that LSU had already left the arena and they wouldn't be getting the photos of their dreams. They did not know the girls' names. They just wanted photos with gymnasts and were disrespectful in the things they were saying. End of story!" she added.
Police eventually had to get involved, with Furlong tweeting that Louisiana State University "had to move its team bus so they didn't have to run into the group of boys. There were cops stationed in front to avoid them getting in."
Dunne herself eventually had to make a statement on the issue, writing on Twitter: "I will always appreciate and love the support from you guys, but if you come to a meet, I want to ask you to please be respectful of the other gymnasts and the gymnastics community as we are just doing our job."
Sports broadcaster and former Olympic gymnast Samantha Peszek called the incident "disturbing", posting footage of the teenage boys shouting obscenities as she left the arena. "This is actually so scary and disturbing and cringey. I'm embarrassed for them…" she wrote.
Kathy Johnson Clarke, an Olympic medalist, replied to Peszek, revealing that she had her own experience. "I was walking out just behind you, Sam, and they were screaming to me, 'Are you Livvy's mom? Are you Livvy's mom?' Very disturbing. Creepy, actually," she wrote. She added that this incident should stand as a "teachable moment" for the boys, per PEOPLE.
