Olympics: The prevailing issue surrounding abuse in sports.

The Olympics occur every four years and the anticipation of its return leaves everybody around the world looking forward to watching the sports and tuning in to keep up with the event. However, the Olympians participating in the games may not always feel as excited as you would expect. Though the issue has been prevalent for recent years, it has been reported that a coach who has been allowed to participate this year has had a history of sexual offending.

Rana Reider. A known track coach for the Olympics, has now been kicked out of the games and lost his accreditation as allegations of sexual and emotional abuse by three different women have come to light. A female athlete has accused Reider of sexual and emotional abuse and harassment. Reider’s attorney responded to the accusers claiming they were intentionally trying to damage the coach’s reputation and seek financial gain. 

This is unfortunately not the first coach that has been allowed to take part despite their known crimes as Australian sex offender, Brett Sutton, was accredited for China in the Olympics and coached the women’s triathlon’s silver medallist, Julie Derron. Sutton pleaded guilty in 1999 for sexually abusing a 13-year-old girl whom he had been coaching.  

The impact the abuse can have on athletes is very much long lasting. Depression, anxiety and PTSD are all problems that can arise. The fear of speaking out can also leave athletes feeling isolated and powerless. So as not to not damage their careers they tend to stay silent in fear of not being believed. Not only can the abuse have a detrimental effect on the athletes it can also leave a lasting mark on the games as a whole. The Olympics are represented as a celebration of the sports and athlete’s achievements. When abusers are allowed to participate and coach teams this tarnishes the representation of the games and further destroys the viewer’s outlook on how safe the Olympics really are. 

Further to the above, here at Jordans Solicitors we aim to ensure all survivors can gain closure for the abuse they have suffered. We are always here to support our clients throughout the entire claims process and secure them the compensation they deserve to move on with their lives.