Team USA chiropractor apologizes for comparing COVID-19 protocols to Nazi Germany

A Team USA chiropractor has issued an apology following backlash to a social media post from last week in which she compared safety protocols implemented during the pandemic to Nazi Germany. 

The Associated Press reported that Rosie Gallegos-Main expressed her regret in a Wednesday statement to the USA Wrestling Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Committee. 

In the Facebook and Instagram posts that have since been deleted from the platforms, Gallegos-Main, who has served as a chiropractor for the USA women’s wrestling team since 2009, wrote, “We went from ‘Flattening the curve in 14 days’ to ‘Going door-to-door to see your papers’ … Gotta admit, I did N-A-Z-I that one coming,” according to the AP. 

On Wednesday, the medical official said that she was sorry “for my poor judgment and my choice to share this message,” adding that she “did not put any thought into how the ending of the meme might affect others.” 

The AP reported that Gallegos-Main explained she wished to put “an emphasis on coercion by authorities, rather than anything to do with Germany and the Jewish people.”

“I now see that these are linked and can’t be separated,” she continued. “I will never use this word again in any form that does not have a proper foundation for its usage, such as in a history lesson or in educating people about the past.” 

She went on to say that she was “also sorry that this may have been a distraction for the delegation which should be focused on supporting our athletes to the best of our ability.”

The comparison to Nazi Germany comes as others have also made similar remarks when vocalizing their opposition to continued COVID-19 safety restrictions, including GOP Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (Ga.), who said earlier this month that President Biden’s push to get as many Americans vaccinated as possible was similar to the actions of those who aided Adolf Hitler’s rise to power in Nazi Germany. 

The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) said in a statement to the AP Wednesday that it “does not condone or tolerate any behavior that intentionally offends or attacks others.” 

“The post that this volunteer shared is completely inconsistent with our values and we made this clear to her as soon as we became aware of it,” the committee continued. 

“As shown through her prompt removal of the share and her apology, she has shown clear remorse and committed to an educational process with DE&I experts,” the USPOC said, adding that while Gallegos-Main will be allowed to finish her stay at USA Wrestling’s pre-Olympic camp in Nakatsugawa, Japan, she will be required to undergo diversity, equity and inclusion training.

The Hill has reached out to the committee for additional information.