US sprint coach Rana Reider stopped from unsupervised coaching
- Published
US sprint coach Rana Reider cannot carry out unsupervised coaching and has been issued with restrictions on contacting individuals, amid allegations of sexual misconduct.
Reider coached leading British athletes including Adam Gemili and Daryll Neita until recently.
The US Centre for SafeSport is investigating multiple complaints of sexual misconduct against him.
Temporary measures have now been imposed on Reider.
According to SafeSport's disciplinary database, Reider is not allowed to coach unless supervised by another adult.
He has also been issued with a "no-contact directive", which includes him not being allowed to contact certain individuals.
Reider's lawyer said the handling of this matter had caused "unfair damage" to him, "despite the production of zero evidence to date". Allegations were first made against him last year.
Asked about the length of time it has been looking into these allegations, SafeSport said its investigations are "thorough".
"These are sensitive matters that must be handled carefully," it said.
"Getting it right is always the priority which is why temporary measures are an important tool to protect participants while the Center does its work. The Center does not comment on matters to protect the integrity of the investigative process."
The organisation said it could not provide a timeline for its investigation to reach a conclusion.
Reider, who was previously an employee of UK Athletics (UKA), trains at the Tumbleweed Track Club in Jacksonville, Florida.
He is one of the world's most prominent track and field coaches, having coached Olympic 200m champion Andre de Grasse and four-time triple jump world champion Christian Taylor.
Last November, UKA told its athletes to "cease all association" with Reider until the investigation had been completed.
The governing body said at the time that any athlete who remained part of Reider's group would have their membership of UK Athletics' World Class Programme suspended, and any associated funding.
Neita left the group but accused UKA of having "blackmailed" athletes, while sprinters Gemili and Laviai Nielsen opted to stay with him initially, before leaving at separate points this year.
It is understood Reider still coaches Lina Nielsen, who is not on UKA's World Class Programme.
Reider's lawyer, Ryan Stevens, told BBC Sport: "The temporary measures were unilaterally imposed by the US Center for SafeSport while their investigation is pending.
"There has been no arbitration or hearing on those measures or the allegations. No objective review of those measures has been permitted. The Center concedes that the imposition of temporary measures does not in any way constitute a finding as to the veracity of the allegations.
"In Mr Reider's case, the Center could have imposed a suspension at this stage but chose not to.
"With its long-drawn-out investigation, the Center has been dragging Mr Reider's reputation through the mud for far too long. They have produced zero evidence to us. We will be pursuing all legal avenues available to redeem his hard-earned world class reputation."