Andre De Grasse out of Olympic 200m final, plans to 're-evaluate ...
The Canadian sprinter bothered by a hamstring injury and bounced from the 200 metres on Wednesday, said he will have to 're-evaluate' coach relationship
Published Aug 07, 2024 • Last updated 2 hours ago • 4 minute read
PARIS — Canadian sprinter Andre De Grasse, bothered by a hamstring injury and bounced from the 200 metres on Wednesday, said he will have to “re-evaluate” his professional relationship with Rana Reider, his coach.
Reider’s Olympic accreditation was revoked by the Canadian Olympic Committee, which said the decision to provide the coach with access to the Games was based on the understanding that his probation with the U.S. Center for Safe Sport ended in May, and that it learned new information that led them to revoke the accreditation.
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Several published reports have noted three lawsuits filed against Reider in Broward County, Fla., including one allegation of rape in a complaint filed in December. According to the Palm Beach Post, two other cases were filed in June. None of the allegations have been proven in court.
De Grasse said he did not have any knowledge of those lawsuits when he began working with Reider again in 2023, and that he only recently became aware due to media coverage.
De Grasse had stopped training with Reider and began working with John Coghlan. But he made the decision to go back with Reider, ostensibly to boost his confidence because the relationship was previously productive.
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“I won a lot of world championship medals with him, Olympic medals, so I kind of went back thinking that, you know, he can get me back to where I need to be,” De Grasse said Wednesday, after running 20.41 seconds and failing to advance in the event he won in Tokyo three years ago. “So, of course, you know, everything that happened is, you know, it’s kind of crazy.
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“I mean, I don’t know what to think of it. I don’t know. So, I mean, kind of just have to re-evaluate after the Games and try to just keep my head for the (4×100 metre relay) and try to support the guys.
“I mean, I didn’t know the issue. … (He) served this time. Everything was good. I went back. You know, my federation, everybody said it was good to go. He was all cleared. They gave him the accreditation and then all of a sudden, I guess, there was a new case. So, I knew nothing about it. So, it kind of just sprung out to me the same time you guys knew. So, of course, that’s a tough one to swallow, to try to just know about that, you know, right before you’re about to run.
“So, pretty tough.”
De Grasse said he aggravated a month-old hamstring injury and didn’t have the power to be competitive in the 200-metres.
“I didn’t realize that when I came back the next day after the 200-metre first round, I kind of re-aggravated a lingering issue that I had with my hamstring. So, it was going to be tough today. I warmed up and kind of didn’t really feel it. But I knew I was just trying to go out here and try to do my best and see what I can come up with.”
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He detected soreness during warm-up for the 200-metre heats and eventually got an ultrasound that showed inflammation.
Andre de Grasse of Team Canada, looks on during the Men’s 100m Round 1 on day eight of the Olympics. Photo by Hannah Peters /Getty Images“So, they said I could go. Gave me some meds for the pain. So, I just tried to come out here today and see what I could do. But, yeah, it was going to be really tough to try to come away with fast time because, of course, these guys are running. It’s the Olympics. It’s the Olympic Games.”
He said the original injury occurred last month.
“But, I thought it was just like, you know, nothing too – not a big issue or anything like that because I only missed like a week of training. So, I thought I was good. I came into the Games feeling pretty good. But then, I guess after the 100 metre semis and then my body probably just didn’t recover enough for the 200 metre heats.
“That’s when I kind of just kind of re-aggravated it and then it was kind of – it wasn’t feeling good when I was coming into today trying to warm up.”
He said he was distracted by the controversy and it has been tough to stay focused in the past 48 hours.
“I mean, I tried to keep my head and stay mentally strong. But, of course, that’s always a tough one not having your coach out there with you kind of, you know, leads you through these games. And, I’ve been with him all year. So, definitely it was a tough one.”
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