from the envoy
Leo Turrini
Let’s clarify right away: Marcell Jacobs has nothing to do with it. Zero point zero. But this Olympics that doesn’t miss anything could have had its sexgate. So, here it is: Rana Reider, the American coach of the Italian sprinter and many other champions (his students have won six medals at the Games over the years), has had his Olympic pass revoked. It had been granted to him at the request of the Canadian federation, since he is also the coach of Andre De Grasse, the king of the 200 meters. Translated: Jacobs, who still has to compete in the 4×100, will no longer be able to count on the discreet presence of his coach, the man chosen in 2023 by Marcell to relaunch his career in a difficult moment. De Grasse ditto. Reider’s lawyer has even hinted at the hypothesis that the fuss was raised to damage the coach’s protégés. Therefore, Jacobs included.
#METOO
But what happened? Here the reader must be patient, because the intrigue is thick, there are Americans, British, Canadians and via Jacobs indirectly also Italians. It is understood that the versions are contrasting, as often happens when reference is made to sexual events. Reider is 54 years old. No one disputes the professional skills of the character: sprinters, long jumpers and triple jumpers rely on him. If he is not a guru, he is very close to it. So what does #Metoo, the sociocultural movement that fights abuse, have to do with him? It does. Or at least that’s what it seems.
PREVIOUS
Before being hired by Jacobs, the coach had been sentenced to twelve months of probation. He had admitted to the authorities of his country that he had had an affair with one of his athletes, a sprinter twenty-six years younger than him. In fact, Reider is in charge of the training of men and women. According to the results of the investigation, the relationship between coach and student presented “an imbalance of power”.
IN THREE
Closed there? Of course not. Over the past weekend, three women, one of whom is anonymous, filed a lawsuit against Reider in a Broward County court in Florida. One athlete accused Reider of sexual and emotional abuse. The complaint also alleges sexual and verbal harassment. American sources have reported that USA Track & Field, the Washington athletics federation, was aware of the situation and had taken preventive measures. The Americans had recalled that the controversial coach had been denied accreditation for the last two world track and field championships, in 2022 and 2023.
THE REPLICA
Effectively expelled from the Games, Mr. Reider entrusted the reply to the lawyer Ryan Stevens. Who didn’t touch it lightly. After confirming that the Canadian Olympic Committee had sent an official letter confirming the withdrawal of the accreditation, the lawyer contested that Reider was not given the opportunity to defend himself. Not only that.
THE SUSPECT
The lawyer said one of the people filing the suit did so to harm the performance of athletes coached by Reider (Jacobs, again, still has the relay team in which he will have to defend his other Tokyo gold). Read it to believe it: “Reider has been unfairly stripped of his Olympic coaching credentials, based on years-old claims in a lawsuit by former athletes seeking profit. It’s a bad day for the Olympics when fear of bad publicity from a governing body takes priority over the athletes. Coach Reider has no sanctions pending against him from any governing body. The ones who are being harmed in all of this are the athletes suddenly forced to compete without their coach, including one of Canada’s top sprinters.”