Leading sprint coach Rana Reider, who in the past held a senior position at UK Athletics, faces a historical allegation after being accused of raping an athlete in the United States when she was a teenager. The 54-year-old was ejected from the Olympics earlier this week following accusations of sexual and emotional abuse in separate lawsuits filed in a Florida court.
It can now be reported that one of the allegations involves an athlete who claims she was raped by Reider during a training camp in Florida. In legal submissions to a circuit court in Broward County, the alleged incident was said to have taken place shortly after the athlete’s 18th birthday.
The athlete, named as Jane Doe in court papers to protect her identity, alleged that Reider asked her to watch a movie with him in his room. Reider, who strongly denies the allegations, was then accused of ‘touching her and eventually proceeded to penetrate her’.
Jane Doe was said to have been ‘shocked and distraught during and after the ordeal’ and claimed she ‘did not consent and did not want to have intercourse’ with Reider. It is alleged that Reider bought her gifts, including expensive underwear and handbags, in the following days.
She added that she has ‘suffered and will continue to suffer severe and ongoing emotional distress, insomnia, humiliation, generalised anxiety, depression, emotional and psychological pain, traumatic stress and mental anguish, and loss of capacity for the enjoyment of life’.
In reply to the complaint of Jane Doe, Reider’s lawyers filed a defence and a counterclaim for defamation. In their legal response, they described the allegations as ‘unfounded, shocking, and career-threatening accusations against him of betrayal, rape and sexual assault’.
Reider was the sprints and relays lead for UK Athletics between 2012 and 2014, when he departed following an investigation into his conduct.
UK Athletics said in a statement: “It is very concerning to hear of any such allegations against personnel within the wider sport of athletics, let alone individuals that have been directly associated or engaged by UKA in the past.
“Whilst we cannot comment directly on any ongoing legal cases, we would encourage anyone within the sport to raise any concerns they have through the variety of routes available.”
Reider was accredited by Canada for the current Olympics, where he was coaching sprinter Andre De Grasse as well as Marcell Jacobs of Italy. His accreditation was withdrawn by the National Olympic Committee of Canada after it was reported that he was facing accusations of sexual and emotional abuse.
Canada’s decision to accredit Reider was questioned by World Athletics last week as he had recently served a 12-month period of probation. The probation was issued by the US Center for SafeSport after Reider admitted to an ‘imbalance of power’ during an intimate relationship with an athlete.
