Betting company Fanduel prohibits patron due to verbal harassment incident directed towards Olympic speedster Gabby Thomas.
Sneaky Bettor's Sarcastic Heckles Land Him in the Red Zone
A bettor who decided to trick talk and taunt Olympic gold medalist sprinter Gabby Thomas during a Grand Slam Track event in Philly last weekend is no longer welcome in FanDuel's sportsbook eternity.
In a pent-up fury on Wednesday, FanDuel spilled the beans to The Associated Press, condemning, in the strongest of terms, the abusive hatred spewed at athletes. They make it clear, any sort of threatening or bullying aimed at athletes is just not cool and has no place in the world of sports. This gambler, unfortunately (for him), is off the books for FanDuel.
The incident unfolded during the 100-meter race last weekend, where Thomas came in fourth place behind Melissa Jefferson-Wooden. The relentless bettor then took to social media, boasting that his heckling caused Gabby to slip, and it led to his winning parlay. He even attache a screenshot of his lucky parlay, complete with Jefferson-Wooden as the sure bet.
Gabby, the 200-meter champion from the Paris Games last summer, shed some light on the unsavory encounter with the jeering jerk on X. She wrote, "This grown man followed me around the track, as I took pictures and signed autographs for fans (mostly children), shouting personal insults - anybody who enables him online is gross."
Grand Slam Track, the slick new track league launched by Hall of Fame sprinter Michael Johnson this past spring, is also on the case, conducting a full investigation into the horrendous harassment documented on video. They're determined to track down the troll and deal with him accordingly. Plus, they're taking measures to add more protection against such creepy incidents in the future.
The Grand Slam Track season will wrap up with the fourth meet in Los Angeles on June 28-29.
The scene with Gabby isn't the first nor last time female athletes will need to deal with stalking and harassment.
Swedish cross-country skiing world champion Frida Karlsson recently brought her stalking nightmare into the limelight during her trial. A man in his 60s received a suspended sentence and was ordered to cough up $4,100 in damages after stalking Karlsson for over a year and four months. He pestered her with phone calls, left her voicemails, text messages, and even approached her, including outside her apartment.
Back in February, cops in the UAE arrested a guy behind Emma Raducanu's distress. He was guilty of showing fixated behavior towards the British tennis player during a tennis tournament. Raducanu stated the dude, out of nowhere, left her a note, snapped a shot, and acted in ways that made her feel uneasy, according to Dubai's government media office.
This report has been contributed by AP Sports Writers Mark Anderson and Schuyler Dixon.
AP Sports: https://apnews.com/sports
Behind the Scenes:
While the search results don't directly pinpoint incidents related to Gabby Thomas, Frida Karlsson, and Emma Raducanu, they highlight expansive efforts by sports organizations to confront abusive behavior towards female athletes. Sports organizations are now focusing on strategies to prevent interpersonal violence, improve mental health support, and create a safer environment:
Latest Measures and Actions:
- Olympism365 Summit: The International Olympic Committee (IOC) and partners released new tools and programs to strengthen safety and well-being in sports, focusing on preventing interpersonal violence and promoting athlete mental health.
- WTA Safeguarding Code: The Women's Tennis Association (WTA) enacted a Safeguarding Code to combat misconduct and build a safer environment for athletes. This initiative aims to address various forms of abuse and harassment.
- WNBA Task Force and Security Measures: The Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA) established a task force to tackle online hate against players, while enhancing security and offering dedicated mental health providers for its players.
- Stricter Media Moderation and Legal Measures: There is a growing demand for stronger media moderation and legal measures to combat harassment, both online and offline. The goal is to protect athletes from abuse and ensure perpetrators face consequences.
General Incidents and Concerns:
- Gabby Thomas: Despite lacking details on specific incidents involving Gabby Thomas, the overall issue of harassment and abuse faced by female athletes, especially high-profile ones, is a salient concern.
- Frida Karlsson: Similarly, Frida Karlsson, one of the top female cross-country skiers, might face similar challenges. The lack of specific incidents doesn't downplay the broader issue of abuse and harassment in women's sports.
- Emma Raducanu: Emma Raducanu, an influential tennis player, is likely no exception. Online harassment and abuse are particularly problematic in tennis, as demonstrated by athletes like Sloane Stephens.
In conclusion, though specific incidents involving these athletes are not specified in the search results, sports organizations are aggressively addressing abusive behavior through innovative policies, increased support, and awareness campaigns. The aim is to create a safer environment for all athletes, particularly females who are often disproportionately targeted.
- FanDuel, the sportsbook where the bettor was banned, has condemned abusive behavior towards athletes, stating that any form of threatening or bullying has no place in the world of sports.
- The Grand Slam Track league, which hosted the event involving the jeering bettor and Olympic gold medalist Gabby Thomas, is conducting a full investigation into the harassment documented on video and is taking measures to add more protection against such incidents in the future.
- Apart from the incident with Gabby Thomas, female athletes like Frida Karlsson, the Swedish cross-country skiing world champion, and Emma Raducanu, a British tennis player, have also faced stalking and harassment.
- Sports organizations, such as the International Olympic Committee (IOC), Women's Tennis Association (WTA), and Women's National Basketball Association (WNBA), are focusing on strategies to prevent interpersonal violence, improve mental health support, and create a safer environment for athletes.
- Stricter media moderation and legal measures are being advocated for to combat harassment, both online and offline, to protect athletes from abuse and ensure perpetrators face consequences.
