Three-time Olympic champion snowboarder Shaun White has apologized for a Halloween costume that drew criticism from the Special Olympics.
White recently posted and then deleted an Instagram photo showing himself dressed as “Simple Jack,” a character with disabilities from the 2008 movie “Tropic Thunder.”
Soeren Palumbo, senior director of global youth engagement at the Special Olympics, told HuffPost the organization was disappointed White had chosen a costume that “is so offensive and causes so much pain. Disability is not a joke nor should it be a punchline. We hope that Shaun White and others learn that this just continues stigma, stereotypes and discrimination.”
White tweeted an apology for what he said was a last-minute, “poor choice” of a costume.
“The Special Olympics were right to call me out on it,” White said. “They do great work supporting so many tremendous athletes and I am sorry for being insensitive. Lesson learned.”
The 32-year-old White won Olympic gold medals in 2006, 2010 and 2018.
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