Thu. Sep 19th, 2024
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Rana Reider
Allegations of sexual misconduct were first made against Reider in 2021

US sprint coach Rana Reider has been given a one-year probation after he “acknowledged a consensual romantic relationship with an adult athlete, which presented a power imbalance”, according to his lawyer.

It follows an investigation into multiple complaints of sexual misconduct against him.

In a statement, attorney Ryan Stevens said his 52-year-old client “was not found in violation of any other sexual misconduct claims”.

He added the American would “continue his elite-level coaching of sprinters and jumpers”.

The US Center for SafeSport, which carried out the investigation, has declined to comment.

Law firm Griffen and Stevens saidexternal-link its client had “credibly and consistently denied all other allegations of sexual misconduct”.

It said his one-year probationary period would include an online SafeSport Education course.

Reider has established himself as one of the top track and field coaches in the world having overseen the success of several elite athletes, including Canada’s Olympic 200m champion Andre de Grasse and four-time triple jump world champion Christian Taylor.

The former UK Athletics employee coached British athletes including Adam Gemili and Daryll Neita.

UK Athletics has declined to comment but World Athletics said: “We understand the US Center for SafeSport has issued a decision regarding the Rana Reider case.

“We have not yet had access to it but as soon as we do we will consider any implications and communicate further.”

In 2021, British athletes were told by UK Athletics to cut ties with Reider while the US Center for SafeSport investigated the complaints, prompting Neita, 26, to leave Reider’s Florida-based training group to join Italian Marco Airale in Padua.

But 400m sprinter Laviai Nielsen and former 200m European champion Gemili were taken off UK Athletics’ World Class Programme after opting to stay with the US coach.

Neita said she felt UK Athletics “blackmailed” athletes by removing funding from those who did not part ways with Reider.

In November, temporary measures were imposed on Reider, stating that he could not carry out unsupervised coaching and restricting contact with certain individuals while the investigation was carried out.

The US Center for SafeSport investigates claims of emotional, physical and sexual misconduct in sport.

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