Phelps and Ledecky Drafted into Brexit Campaign

Sport and politics are overlapping categories. The latest example, a silly one, but instructive nonetheless, comes from several passive-aggressive Tweets from the European Parliament and a UK member of parliament.

First, the European Parliament official Twitter feed sent out this:

Huge congratulations to all the European winners and participants at #Rio2016, you did brilliantly! 🎖 pic.twitter.com/vPTjkedjXD

— European Parliament (@Europarl_EN) August 22, 2016

That was soon followed by this Tweet from British MP, Heather Wheeler of the Conservative Party.

Now that's what I call winning!!! Well done Team GB & all our Commonwealth friends, now for the Trade Agreements.... pic.twitter.com/Qg9qkYxWHp

— Heather Wheeler MP (@HeatherWheeler) August 22, 2016

Wheeler's Tweet prompted a lot of reaction, summarized by the BBC.

An interesting side note is that Wheeler's tabulation of medals includes what appears to be the British North American colonies, which became the original 13 US states. OK. These include Maryland, which by itself accounted for 23 medals in Rio (18G, 4S, 1B).  I'm not sure how Michael Phelps or Katie Ledecky feel about being drafted into the British Commonwealth in support of Brexit, but that is how politics works.

Another side note: The original 13 states accounted for 74 total medals meaning that MP Wheller needed the US medals to get a count greater that that of the EU.

• EU = 325 medals
• British Empire (with US states) = 396
• British Empire (minus US states) = 322

Perhaps MP Wheeler was sending a hidden message that to succeed, Brexit needs the US to prop it up?