U.S. Olympic Committee Under Fire for Handling of Abuse Allegations

The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee placed an employee on administrative leave following reports of sexual abuse involving a coach. Grace Boutot accused coach Gary Colliander of misconduct, leading to severe distress and a suicide attempt. There are calls for more action from U.S. Biathlon.

The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee has placed an employee on administrative leave after reports emerged of sexual abuse accusations against a coach. The move follows an Associated Press investigation that brought the allegations to light.

Rocky Harris, the USOPC's chief of sport and athlete services, communicated with members of the U.S. Biathlon national team regarding the serious allegations raised in the report. He praised the bravery of the athletes who came forward, confirming that immediate action was taken by placing the staff member on leave while an internal investigation proceeds.

Among the allegations is a case involving Grace Boutot, who said she endured inappropriate behavior from her coach, Gary Colliander. Despite warnings and symptoms of severe distress, including a suicide attempt, Boutot claimed that the misconduct persisted for years. The USOPC's decision to act stands in contrast to U.S. Biathlon's response, which some, including Boutot, find lacking.

(With inputs from agencies.)