Olympics
For sexual abuse, American coach’s Olympic accreditation is withdrawn
American Rana Reider, coach of former Olympic champions Andre De Grasse of Canada and Italy’s Lamont Marcell Jacobs, has been stripped of his Paris Games accreditation by Canada’s Olympic Committee (COC) amid allegations of sexual and emotional abuse.
The COC said on Tuesday “new information” had come to light about the appropriateness of accrediting Reider, who had been investigated for sexual misconduct by the U.S. Center for Safe Sport. He was put on a one-year probation which ended in May.
His lawyer said in May last year that Reider had acknowledged a “consensual romantic relationship with an adult athlete, which presented a power imbalance” but was not found to be in violation of any other sexual misconduct claims for which he was under investigation.
He denied wrongdoing when the allegations came to light.
“The decision to (accredit Reider) was based on the understanding his probation… ended in May this year, that he had no other suspensions or sanctions and otherwise met our eligibility requirements,” COC said in a statement.
“On Sunday, August 4 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 accreditations be revoked.”
The allegations against Reider have not been proved in court and he has not been charged with a crime.
“It’s a bad day for the Olympics when a governing body’s fear of bad publicity is prioritised over the athletes,” his lawyer Ryan Stevens said in a statement. “Reider has no pending sanctions against him by any governing body.
“The ones who are being hurt in all of this are the athletes suddenly forced to compete without their chosen coach, including one of Canada’s finest sprinters,” Stevens said.
Reider’s accreditation pass gave him access to training and competition venues.
De Grasse worked with Reider from 2018 to 2022, winning gold in the 200 metres and bronze in the 100 at the Tokyo Olympics.
De Grasse left the American coach briefly to work with Irish coach John Coghlan but returned to work with Reider nine months ago in Jacksonville, Florida.
Jacobs, who captured gold in the men’s 100 at the Tokyo Olympics, moved to Florida in September to work with Reider.
-Reuters
The Olympic rings installed on the Eiffel Tower since June to celebrate the upcoming Olympic Games were removed from the Parisian monument early on Friday morning, as confirmed by an AFP photographer. But the Paris City Hall intends to replace them with a more permanent structure until 2028.
The five-coloured rings, measuring 29 metres in length and 15 metres in height, were placed between the first and second levels of the iconic iron structure on 7 June.
According to Inside the Games publication, Paris Mayor Anne Hidalgo wants the Olympic symbol to continue decorating the monument until the 2028 Games in Los Angeles.
But the descendants of the tower’s creator, Gustave Eiffel are opposing the move. They are insisting that the Olympic rings are aesthetically in conflict with the concept and design of the Tower.
The 30-tonne rings initially installed on the Eiffel Tower were also not designed to withstand winter weather conditions.
Olympics
Despite Egypt winning 3 medals at Paris Olympics, President Al-Sisi orders sports system overhaul
Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi ordered a comprehensive evaluation of sports federations that participatedat the Paris Olympic Games, following a mission report submitted by the country’s sports minister.
The mandate includes a thorough expenditure check and a performance review to better highlight areas of improvement and fund allocation in future Games.
Additionally, the president plans to take necessary measures against federations —such as limiting funds— that had negative results in the Paris Games.
Egypt’s participation in sports where it lacks a competitive advantage will also be limited, as the president aims to direct resources to promising athletes to ensure optimal results. The president also aims to reduce administrative and technical staff within Olympic delegations and task relevant ministries with preparing future Olympic athletes.
Al-Sisi’s Olympic overhaul is to be presented to the cabinet for approval and urged the government to prioritise amending the sports law for the House of Representatives for review.
Egypt took home a total of three medals in the Summer Games. Ahmed El-Gendy triumphed in modern pentathlon, Sara Samir claimed the silver in weightlifting, and 21-year-old fencer Mohamed El-Sayed earned the bronze.
-Insidethegames
Paris 2024 sold a record 12 million tickets for the Olympics and Paralympics, beating the Games record previously set by London 2012, organisers said on Sunday.
Some 9.5 million tickets were sold for the Olympics and 2.5 million for the Paralympics, which end on Sunday.
In 2012, London organisers set the record for the Paralympics with 2.7 million tickets sold but only 8.2 million were sold for the Olympics.
-Reuters
NFF Communication director unfolds 20 Points of a 20-hour ordeal on Libyan soil
African football legends, Adebayor and Aubameyang condemn Libya’s treatment of Super Eagles
BREAKING! CAF wades into the Libya-Nigeria Airport episode
Breaking! Uzoho suspended from Super Eagles’ next match with Sierra Leone
No longer Super League as CAF changes name of its new clubs competition
AIU releases its report on Tobi Amusan
-
Uncategorized1 week ago
Players boycott Libyan national team
-
AFCON5 days ago
Billiat’s penalty seals Zimbabwe’s 1-0 win over Namibia
-
AFCON1 week ago
Facts & Figures as AFCON 2025 qualifiers enter Matchday 3
-
AFCON6 days ago
AFCON 2025 in Morocco: Everything you need to know
-
AFCON5 days ago
Libya’s captain, Faisal Al-Badri alleges poor treatment in Nigeria
-
Uncategorized1 week ago
CAF compels Kwasi Appiah to step down from Ghana FA
-
Uncategorized1 week ago
Fastest World Cup final scorer is dead!
-
AFCON1 day ago
BREAKING! CAF wades into the Libya-Nigeria Airport episode