The "performance activism" of the Americans Jacob Hoyle and Curtis McDowell on Friday was the latest criticism of allowing a man accused of sexual assault to participate in the Olympics. Elsa/Getty Images hide caption
The "performance activism" of the Americans Jacob Hoyle and Curtis McDowell on Friday was the latest criticism of allowing a man accused of sexual assault to participate in the Olympics.
The United States fencing team is not happy to let Alan Hadzic represent the United States in the Tokyo Olympics.
Almost after entering the roster, the 29-year-old was accused of sexual misconduct by three women between 2013 and 2015.
Hadzic denied these allegations and successfully appealed the suspension, which would prevent him from participating in the US team.
On Friday, the men’s team expressed their dissatisfaction to the world, wearing pink masks to support the victims of sexual assault. Jack Hoyle, Curtis McDowell, and Jeseh Ramirez appeared in light-colored masks, while Hadzic was eccentric in black masks, which made it a fascinating An eye-catching image.
#TeamUSA The men's epee team wore a pink mask at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games to show their support for the victims of sexual assault. Alen Hadzic-their teammate accused of rape and sexual assault-is on the left. Thanks for the team's statement. #BelieveWomen pic.twitter.com/yRI4azelKN
Jackie Dubrovic, an Olympic fencer in Tokyo, called her teammate's move "performance activism" on Instagram. She called for accountability.
"The people/systems that support and protect violent predators are not held accountable," she wrote. "The female athletes are not protected, and our safety is considered unimportant."
Hadzic has been suspended from all fencing activities by the American Security Sports Center, an independent agency that investigates sexual abuse in the Olympic movement. However, according to the New York Times, a few weeks later, an arbitrator ruled that the suspension was “inconsistent with the allegations”.
It was also decided that Hadzic’s joining the US team would not “damage the reputation of the United States or his sport”.
This decision angered his teammates, who questioned the effectiveness of SafeSport, responsible for protecting athletes.
In an email obtained by USA TODAY, American Fencing CEO Chris Ekron wrote to Hadzic, saying that his teammates disagreed with SafeSport's assessment.
"Nevertheless, the team athletes have expressed concerns about their safety and well-being, because your presence may adversely affect their psychological and emotional abilities in order to prepare and be prepared at the highest level required to succeed in the Olympics. Competition," Ekron wrote.
"Some people have asked the U.S. fencing team to take measures to ensure their safety and minimize interference in training and competition. Therefore, the U.S. fencing team will cooperate with USOPC to implement a safety plan for the upcoming Olympic Games."
Hadzic was banned from staying in the Olympic Village. Instead, he has been staying in a nearby hotel. He was also forced to travel to Tokyo separately from his teammates and was forbidden to practice with his female teammates.
Hadzic's lawyer Michael Palma said that the US fencing team is keeping the Olympian out of sight to avoid negative publicity. Palma told the New York Times that he was "unable to participate in the Olympic experience he deserves."
In the end, the men's epee substitute Hadzic did not participate in the game. The US team lost to the Japanese team on Friday, ranking ninth.
Post time: Aug-10-2021