CANADA ice hockey star Jocelyne Larocque has issued a grovelling apology after she refused to wear her Olympic silver medal after they were beaten by USA.
Veteran defensive player Larocque ripped off her gong as soon as it was presented to her in a display of petulance on the ice in Pyeongchang.
The 29-year-old then repeatedly ignored the pleas of her team-mates to show some class by snubbing their calls to put the medal back round her neck, amid catcalls from the crowd.
Larocque was then accused of being a sore loser as fans on social media queued up to blast her, following the shock sudden-death defeat to America.
She only put it back on again under the orders of the Canadian team bosses, and was then made to make a public apology for her poor behaviour.
Larocque said: “Please understand this was a moment in time that I truly wish I could take back.
“I take seriously being a role model to young girls and representing our country.
“My actions did not demonstrate the values our team, myself and my family live and for that I am truly sorry.”
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Such was the international dismay at Larocque’s actions, the general manager of Canada’s national team programme was also forced to intervene.
Melody Davidson said: “Emotions run high at the Olympic Games, and never more so than in a gold-medal game, but at all times we expect our program to act professionally and demonstrate sound sportsmanship.
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“I would like to congratulate the United States on their victory.”
Canada’s defeat ended a run of four successive ice hockey golds in the women’s event, and was regarded as a major upset.
USA triumphed 3-2 in a tense sudden death shoot-out to claim victory over their big rivals, their first Olympic success in 20 years.
Second period goals from Haley Irwin and Marie-Philip Poulin looked to have been enough for Canada to claim their fifth straight title.
But a late US goal from Monique Lamoureux took the match into sudden-death overtime at 2-2, and she netted the decisive goal to snatch the gold.
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