Ilona Maher has opened up on the growing controversy involving the US men’s hockey team and comments made by Donald Trump. The rugby player addressed the situation, expressing her dismay over the men’s hockey team’s reaction.
After the men’s hockey team clinched gold at the 2026 Winter Olympics, they were invited by the president to celebrate the feat. However, during this visit, they got involved in a controversy after Trump made a joke while congratulating the men’s team. He suggested that he would also need to invite the women’s team or risk backlash. The women’s team had also won a gold medal at the Olympics, which was their first one in 8 years.
“I must tell you, we’re going to have to bring the women’s team. You do know that. I do believe I probably would be impeached,” said Donald Trump.
Following this, some players of the men’s hockey team laughed at the joke, and it quickly drew criticism online, with many saying it downplayed the women’s achievements, including the women’s team’s captain, Hilary Knight. Amid this, Maher recently weighed in on this on her Instagram story.
She shared a selfie, stating that she was disappointed with how the men’s team reacted, writing:
“People keep commenting and asking, “Ilona, what are your thoughts on the men’s hockey? You should speak up.” What do you think my thoughts are? For real, I’m not particularly shocked but definitely disappointed,” wrote Ilona Maher.
Meanwhile, the men’s hockey team’s player Jack Hughes, who recorded the game-winning goals, said that they respect the women’s hockey team and their achievements.
Ilona Maher Recently Talked About Her Imposter Syndrome
Ilona Maher recently sat for a conversation with CNN, where she was asked various questions about her sport, body positivity, and more. Amid this, she was also asked about her imposter syndrome. Replying to this, she revealed that she doesn’t have the syndrome and always felt like she deserved the success. She further spoke about how she gained the confidence and the reason behind her self-love.
“I don’t have that. I feel like I deserve [success] – I’ve worked very, very hard. I didn’t always love my body. When I was younger, I was bigger, but I was also faster, fitter, and stronger than the skinnier girls. I didn’t understand why I looked the way I did, but my body was doing spectacular things for me,” said Ilona Maher.
She further opened up about how she learned to love her body with time, adding:
“It’s taken me a lot to realise it’s okay not to love your body all of the time. You learn to love your body along the way – it’s not a one-and-done situation. To appreciate what it’s done for you, even if it’s as simple as taking you on a walk or getting through a Pilates class, is more important to focus on.”
Along with a stellar position in the rugby community, Ilona Maher has also made her name in modeling, as she was one of the faces on the cover picture of the SI swimsuit magazine.
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