Speed Skater's Fantasy Football Punishment Will Follow Him To The Winter Olympics
Casey Dawson, a 2022 bronze medalist, is back for the 2026 Winter Olympics after winning the 5,000-meter at trials.
Forget 24 hours at Waffle House, stand-up comedy or a bad tattoo. U.S. speed skater Casey Dawson will serve his last-place fantasy football punishment on the world stage.
Dawson, a 2022 Olympic bronze medalist and world-record holder in team pursuit, is once again headed to the Winter Games. But this time, he'll be hauling a pink backpack dotted with hearts. That's the penalty for losing his fantasy football league — one that includes fellow Olympians Ethan Cepuran and Emery Lehman.
"It’s just something we all do for fun together," Dawson said of the league.
The punishment has followed Dawson through all five stops of the World Cup circuit this season. And yes, he's still lugging it around in Milan next month.
Oh, and that's not all. Dawson was also forced to attach a massive plastic pink foot to his cell phone case. Which probably makes it very difficult to slide into his pocket.
(Instagram: @brittanybowe)
I mean, it's a little annoying, I'm sure. But considering some of the diabolical fantasy football punishments I've seen over the years, it could definitely be worse.
Still, it's a good thing he's skating well. The 25-year-old from Park City, Utah, just clinched his spot in the 5,000 meters by winning the U.S. Olympic trials in 6:12.875. That's nearly 6.5 seconds ahead of his nearest competitor.
It's a bit of redemption for Dawson, who missed that same race at the 2022 Beijing Games after testing positive for COVID. He didn't arrive until 12 hours before his 1,500m event and was forced to skip the Opening Ceremony altogether.
"I’m just looking forward to getting there smoothly and just getting a little bit of redemption," he said. "It’s kind of fun to have my villain arc, I would call it. Just coming back and having some fun."
Dawson will also compete in the 10,000 meters and team pursuit, where he and his teammates are gold-medal favorites after setting multiple world records and winning a world championship in 2025.
Casey Dawson won a bronze medal in the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.
(Photo by Jurij Kodrun - International Skating Union/International Skating Union via Getty Images)
The 2026 Winter Olympics officially begin with the Opening Ceremony on February 6. And if Dawson's still rocking the plastic foot and the pink backpack of shame, he shouldn't be too hard to spot.