US snowboarders at the Beijing Olympics strongly defended Saturday their long-serving head coach Peter Foley against “super upsetting” allegations of sexual misconduct and other inappropriate behaviour, saying the accusations damaged “team energy”.
US Ski and Snowboard is investigating claims made by Callan Chythlook-Sifsof, who competed at the 2010 Olympics, after she alleged in a series of Instagram posts Friday that Foley had “taken naked photos of female athletes for over a decade”.
She alleged that Foley, who has served as the US head coach since 1994 and is currently with the team in Beijing, had made a sexual remark to her when she was only 17 in 2014.
Veteran American snowboarders Lindsey Jacobellis and Nick Baumgartner, who won gold in the inaugural mixed team snowboard cross event on Saturday, defended Foley while Baumgartner said he was “like a father” to him.
“It’s definitely been super upsetting to have that when we’re trying to focus and it definitely breaks up our team energy a little bit,” said the 36-year-old Jacobellis, who is competing at her fifth Olympics.
“Of my 20 years on the team, I can speak very highly of his character.”
Chythlook-Sifsof also accused 30-year-old snowboarder Hagen Kearney, who is competing in Beijing, of intimidating behaviour and using racist slurs.
“I cannot watch another Olympic Games without saying this publicly,” Chythlook-Sifsof wrote.
Instagram twice removed her posts for violating the social media site’s “guidelines on nudity or sexual activity” and “bullying or harassment”.
Baumgartner, who is competing at his fourth Olympics at the age of 40, said it had been “a pleasure and an honour” working with Foley.
“It’s been awesome to see him grow as a person and a coach, and to have him help me grow as an athlete,” he said.
“I can’t speak any higher about that man — he’s done so much for us. All the coolest moments of my life have been right alongside that gentleman.”