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U.S Olympic skier Lindsey Vonn: I won't go to White House if invited

Lindsey Vonn hopes to be celebrating Olympic gold come February in South Korea.

But if she does, the skier said that celebration won't continue on to the White House.

In comments made to CNN this week, the 2010 Olympic women's downhill champion said she won't be representing President Donald Trump at the Winter Games in Pyeongchang, nor will she go to the White House if invited afterward.

"Well, I hope to represent the people of the United States, not the president," Vonn told CNN.

"I take the Olympics very seriously and what they mean and what they represent, what walking under our flag means in the opening ceremony," Vonn said. "I want to represent our country well. I don't think that there are a lot of people currently in our government that do that."

Other athletes and teams have expressed a similar stance about declining a visit to the White House. The defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors announced in September that they would not visit the White House. The University of South Carolina women's basketball team also declined to participate in a ceremony to honor collegiate champions.

Vonn, 33, has competed in the Olympics three times, but she missed the 2014 Winter Games due to a knee injury. She has a record 77 career women's World Cup victories and is a four-time overall World Cup champion.

Asked if she would say yes to a White House invite if she does claim a gold medal in February, Vonn made clear her answer.

"Absolutely not," she said. "No."