Coach of Olympic champion Andre De Grasse, Rana Reider, is under investigation in a case of sexual misconduct.
The US Center for SafeSport has just launched an investigation into the 51-year-old Florida-based man, Reider’s lawyer Ryan Stevens said in a statement to The Canadian Press.
“We still have not received any evidence to validate these claims,” Stevens said in the document. The SafeSport Code defines sexual misconduct very loosely. “
Stevens added that his client has not been notified of the filing of these allegations, which means “their investigation is incomplete or has just started … Rana does not deserve to have her name and reputation dragged out. in the mud before the process is completed and the evidence is presented ”.
The allegations against Reider have never gone to court so far.
De Grasse, a 26-year-old Ontarian, captured three medals at the Tokyo Olympics last summer, becoming the most decorated Canadian Olympian in history with six discs.
De Grasse and his wife, Nia Ali of the United States, the reigning 100m hurdles world champion, left Phoenix to train with Reider in Jacksonville, Fla., Starting in December 2018.
Athletics Canada has stated that based on the information currently available to it, no Canadian athlete is the subject of any allegations.
Later Thursday, Athletics Canada said it was suspending all payment to Reider for work with Canadian athletes until the investigation was concluded.
The Tumbleweed Track Club, run by Reider, also trains Britain’s top sprinter, Adam Gemili, and American Trayvon Bromell. He has also coached athletes such as American and Dutch sprinters Christian Taylor and Dafne Schippers.
UK Athletics, the equivalent of Athletics Canada in Great Britain, mentioned in a statement to The Canadian Press that based on information received from SafeSport, “several complaints of sexual misconduct have been filed against coach Rana Reider and that an investigation in the United States is imminent ”.