Like a bolt from the blues, six times Olympics medalist Andre de Grasse has taken a surprise move by dumping his controversial coach Rana Reina after his announcement on Wednesday (28).
“I’ve been with Rana for the last three years and I just felt like I wanted a change mentally,” De Grasse said. “I just wanted to try something different.
“It had nothing to do really with what was happening, I still don’t even know what’s going on, because no one said anything. Some people left and some people stayed, but everyone has their own reason. But I just wanted to try to get a fresh start, and I like Orlando. . . . I think it would be good for my kids as well.”
Reider, who has guided a number of the world’s top sprinters and jumpers to Olympic and world medals, is being investigated by the U.S. Center for SafeSport for sexual misconduct. The fallout after news broke in November of 2021 saw Athletics Canada withdraw its funding for coaching for Canadian athletes training with Reider and his Tumbleweed Track Club in Jacksonville, Fla. UK Athletics pulled its funding entirely for any British athletes training there.
Pending the results of the inquiry, World Athletics blocked Reider’s coaching accreditation for the world championships last summer in Eugene, Ore., where De Grasse anchored Canada’s 4×100-metre relay team to gold. The Guardian reported that Reider was removed by security, and police called, after he gained unauthorized access to the athlete warmup area.
None of the allegations have been proven in court. Reider’s lawyer, Ryan Stevens, didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment.
The 28-year-old De Grasse, who is in Toronto this week for his Andre De Grasse Holiday Classic Basketball Tournament, won Olympic gold in the 200 metres under Reider in Tokyo. His three medals there brought his Olympic total to six, making him Canada’s most decorated male summer Olympian.
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