[Warning: Potentially Triggering Content]
Yet another scandal has rocked the Paris Olympics!
Rana Reider, an American sprint coach to Olympians Andre De Grasse and Lamont Marcell Jacobs, has been booted from the games after a bombshell report revealed he was accused of sexual and emotional abuse by three female athletes! Whoa! But let’s rewind for a second here…
The 54-year-old was in Paris and even was trackside at the Stade de France for Sunday’s 100m final after getting accredited as a personal coach by Canada’s National Olympic Committee. However, that was already a questionable decision to many, especially to World Athletics, the governing body for the sport of track and field, before the allegations came to light. Why?
Reider was on a 12-month probation issued by the US Center for SafeSport after he admitted to an “imbalance of power” in an intimate relationship with one of his athletes in May 2023! World Athletics wouldn’t even accredit him for the past two World Championships. So when Canada allowed him at the Paris Olympics, the decision understandably raised quite a few eyebrows! Then the more shocking accusations dropped…
Related: Paraguayan Swimmer Reportedly Kicked Out Of Olympic Village For ‘Inappropriate Behavior’!
The Times first revealed over the weekend that three female athletes filed lawsuits against Reider in Florida. One of the women accused him of sexual and emotional abuse and harassment. Another claimed the track and field coach sexually and verbally harassed her. Whoa. According to USA Today on Tuesday, the two suits were filed in June by a 35-year-old retired long jumper from Great Britain and a 28-year-old American sprinter. They claimed Reider sexually harassed them by grabbing their butts, made suggestive comments about their appearances, and more.
Per USA Today, the third woman filed a lawsuit in December 2023 under the name Jane Doe, alleging there was a pattern of sexual assault and emotional abuse that lasted for six years with Reider and resulted in two suicide attempts and a psychiatric hospitalization. Oof. She claimed he first approached her at 17 years old and raped her after her 18th birthday. The lawsuit also notes Reider pressured, manipulated, controlled, and isolated her as a way of continuing the abuse.
Like the other two lawsuits, Jane Doe listed a handful of associated track clubs, governing bodies and athlete sponsor companies who allegedly “turned a blind eye to and enabled this conduct” as defendants. The Times reported the others named in the lawsuits were USA Track & Field, the national governing body for track and field, cross country running, road running, and racewalking, Reider’s Tumbleweed Track Club, his company, Puma, and Adidas. He is a paid Puma coach, FYI. The company has not reacted to the lawsuit. However, Adidas claimed the “deeply troubling” accusations did not occur when Reider was linked to the brand:
“While the allegations are deeply troubling, they are from a time period during which Reider no longer had any relationship with Adidas. As such we have submitted a motion to dismiss Adidas from the first case that was filed, and will move to dismiss the other two cases shortly when those motions are due with the court. We will be making no further comment during the legal process.”
Hmm. At this time, Reider hasn’t addressed the claims. The outlet reported that one of the defendants did suggest they defend the actions collectively. However, the USATF shut that down immediately. When Reider’s probationary period ended in May, The Times said they responded to the new accusations by putting an indefinite safety plan in place. Moving forward, Reider was not allowed to coach any athletes one-on-one and must have a chaperone with him permanently. He also was no longer on USATF’s coaching register and wasn’t eligible for Olympic accreditation through his national association.
He requires a whole safety plan where he can’t be around athletes alone — yet he still got accredited to be at the Paris Olympics?! What?!?
Well, Canada’s Olympic Committee claims they had no idea about the other disturbing claims against Reider! Per The Times, they only found out when the USATF notified them of the report. As a result, the committee kicked him out of the games. They said in a statement to the outlet:
“Rana Reider was accredited as a personal coach, with access only to the athletics warm-up area and training venues. The decision to provide him with that access was based on the understanding that his probation with the US Center for Safe Sport ended in May this year, that he had no other suspensions or sanctions, and otherwise met our eligibility requirements. On Sunday August 4th we learned of new information about the appropriateness of Mr Reider remaining accredited by Team Canada at the Paris 2024 Games. In discussion with Athletics Canada, it was agreed that Mr Reider’s accreditation be revoked.”
Per USA Today, an attorney representing Reider on his accreditation revocation, Ryan Stevens, slammed the committee for the lack of due process and formal investigation, saying:
“It’s a bad day for the Olympics when a governing body’s fear of bad publicity is prioritized over the athletes.”
The committee is doing the right thing finally and actually prioritizing the athletes after these disturbing allegations! You know, to keep them all safe! Just saying! Reactions, Perezcious readers? Let us know in the comments below.
If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence and would like to learn more about resources, consider checking out https://www.rainn.org/resources.
[Image via Rana Reider/Instagram]
