An internal investigation has been opened by US Ski & Snowboarding after a former Olympian accused a Team USA coach and teammate of sexual harassment and racism.
Callan Chythlook-SifsofI, a former Olympic snowboarder who competed at the 2010 Winter Olympics, said on Instagram she could not watch this year’s games in Beijing because of the presence of coach Peter Foley and Olympian Hagen Kearney.
She accused Mr Foley of taking naked pictures of female athletes and claims he made a sexually explicit comment to her when she was 17, Outsports reports.
Ms Chythlook-Sifsof accused Mr Kearney of racism, due to his alleged frequent use of the N-word, and of making rape jokes about female teammates.
“This is the truth,” she wrote on Instagram.
“I will not carry this stuff around anymore, there was bizarre behaviour across the board. The people I’ve named have overtly behaved toxically but the truth is the culture on the team protected this behaviour.”
Ms Chythlook-Sifsof continued: “Other athletes have in engaged in racist, misogynist behavior, actively participated in the strange dynamics that Peter Foley created and caused female athletes/staff to be victims of sexual violence.”
Mr Foley, head coach of the US Snowboard team since it was founded in 1994, denies the allegations. He told Newsweek: “I’m surprised by the allegations. I vehemently deny the allegations. I’m doing my best to concentrate on supporting the athletes at the Olympics.”
In an email to USA Today, Mr Kearney said: “I made a mistake years ago with my words and appropriate action was taken. I learned from my mistake and I’m a better person now for it.”
He also posted an apology on Instagram acknowledging the incident and referring to his “utter stupidity and disgusting behaviour”.
Ms Chythlook-Sifsof said that her former teammate often used the N-word when they were training together and that she repeatedly asked him to stop.
She said that she complained to the coaches one night after his alleged repeated use of the word, and that they reportedly did speak to Mr Kearney about the alleged incident.
Since posting about the incident with Mr Foley she says that “numerous female skiers and snowboarders” have reached out to her with similar stories.
“US Ski & Snowboard has been made aware of the recent allegations via a social media post,” spokesperson Annie Fast told Outsports. “The behaviors detailed have no place in our sport or on our teams. We take accusations like this seriously and it is being investigated.”
Ms Chythlook-Sifsof was the first indigenous Alaskan to represent the United States at an Olympic Games, competing in the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics. She came out publicly in 2014.
For the last few years she has been working as a professional snowboard coach, and recently two of the snowboarders she has worked with have been developmental athletes on the World Cup team run by Mr Foley.
