Klete Keller, 3x Olympic Gold Medalist, Identified As Capitol Rioter: Report

People are calling for him to be stripped of his medals after he was reportedly seen wearing his Olympic team jacket on video inside the Capitol.

BYErika Marie
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Many critics of President Donald Trump have irresponsibly grouped his supporters into one specific category as memes about the types of people who stand by America's leader have circulated since he took office. However, Trump supporters come from varying backgrounds that include Olympic gold medalists like Klete Keller. The 38-year-old competitive swimmer boasts wins in the 2000, 2004, and 2008 Summer Olympics, but after a video surfaced showing him among the insurrectionists who stormed the Capitol last Wednesday (January 6), people are calling for him to be stripped of his medals.

According to the New York Times, Keller was identified by his former coaches and teammates because, in the video of him alongside dozens of others inside of the Capitol, the swimmer is seen wearing his Olympic team jacket with the "USA" patch. Keller has yet to respond to the controversy, but the public believes that his medals should be taken from him. As there have been calls for Trump to be impeached, Republicans who opposed the election results to be charged, and domestic terrorists to be arrested, no one involved in this incident on the capital is being spared from judgment.

For the past three years, Keller was reportedly employed at a Colorado real estate firm who confirmed that he's resigned "effective immediately." Check out a few reactions below.

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About The Author
Erika Marie is a seasoned journalist, editor, and ghostwriter who works predominantly in the fields of music, spirituality, mental health advocacy, and social activism. The Los Angeles editor, storyteller, and activist has been involved in the behind-the-scenes workings of the entertainment industry for nearly two decades. E.M. attempts to write stories that are compelling while remaining informative and respectful. She's an advocate of lyrical witticism & the power of the pen. Favorites: Motown, New Jack Swing, '90s R&B, Hip Hop, Indie Rock, & Punk; Funk, Soul, Harlem Renaissance Jazz greats, and artists who innovate, not simply replicate.