The 2026 Winter Olympics captivated audiences with the dazzling performances of American figure skating stars Amber Glenn, Alysa Liu, and Isabeau Levito. Yet, as their brilliance shone on the ice, they also became targets of intense online harassment and unsettling remarks, prompting Glenn to speak out publicly.
Glenn also made headlines for criticizing the Trump administration for the current political climate in the United States, which has adversely affected the LGBTQ+ community.
Amber Glenn Calls Out Online Abuse After Milan Triumph
Glenn’s outspoken stance sparked a wave of online backlash, eventually pushing her to step back from social media. Meanwhile, Liu was unfairly labeled unpatriotic, despite her vocal opposition to the Chinese Communist Party and her past experiences with intimidation from Chinese authorities. Levito, too, endured distressing sexual harassment online.
Glenn made her feelings known on the issue, saying, as per the Sporting News: “I really hope that going forward, we can find ways to better support athletes, especially when it comes to online spaces. There have been some really disturbing things said online about the three of us as female athletes. It’s hard not to see that. I hope we can work towards creating a safer space for athletes, especially for young people like Isabeau. It’s really disappointing.”
Amber Glenn says there were some “really disturbing things said online” about her, Alysa Liu and Isabeau Levito.
The U.S. figure skater would like to see a better way to support athletes in online spaces ❤️ pic.twitter.com/FJzZkJ3xc1
— The Sporting News (@sportingnews) February 20, 2026
During the Milan Games, Glenn shone in both the team event, where she helped Team USA clinch gold, and the women’s singles, finishing a commendable 5th. Liu soared to gold in the singles, while Levito delivered a strong performance to place 12th overall.
Glenn’s journey in the women’s singles was a rollercoaster. After a tough start with a 13th place in the short program, she staged an impressive comeback in the free skate, scoring 147.52 points to secure 3rd in that segment and finish 5th overall with 214.91 points. Her resilience surprised many, given her pre-Games form.
Glenn was supportive of Liu’s victory despite not making the podium, and said, “This is going to make such a great impact on so many people’s attitude towards the sport. I think people will be able to see how she approaches the sport now versus before and see how much more successful it is now in a healthy way. And I’m hoping people can really learn from that.”
Glenn also added that Liu was very supportive of her after her poor performance in the short program, stating that she is one of her closest friends. She also added that Liu and Levito are some of the few people who know what figure skaters go through.
