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Former world relay champion Adam Gemili and Laviai Nielsen lost their lottery funding from UK Athletics. The decision was made as the athletes continue to work with a coach who is being investigated as sexual abuse allegations were made against him.
Gemili and Nielsen were taken off the UK Athletics World Class Programme for choosing to stay with Coach Rana Reider.
The US Center for SafeSport, which investigates complaints of abuse and misconduct, is investigating the coach following multiple complaints against him.
Adam Gemili and Laviai Nielsen lose funding after opting to stay with coach accused of sexual allegations
— Telegraph Women’s Sport (@WomensSport) December 2, 2021
British duo have defied UK Athletics orders to leave Rana Reider’s Florida-based group – although Daryll Neita has found different coachinghttps://t.co/hLFeWqTmJj
UK Athletics told the athletes to stop training with him in Florida.
As Gemili and Nielsen continue to work with him they will not be earning the $37,000 in lottery funding or medical support from UK Athletics.
“UK Athletics’ position has not changed in that any athlete working directly with Rana Reider, given the confirmed complaints of sexual misconduct against him from US Safe Sport, will not be able to be supported through the World Class Programme,” UK Athletics said in a statement.
Gemeli is an Olympic finals and a two-time World Championships medallist. He was part of the 4 x 100m relay team that set the area and national records during the 2019 Doha World Athletics Championships in the time of 37.36. He finished fourth in the 2016 Rio Olympic games 200m in the time of 20.12.
Neilsen is a two-time national champion and earned a silver medal during the 2019 Doha World Athletics Championships in the 4 x 400m relay. The finished in the time of 3:25.00.
