Rowers say Olympic coach threatened, verbally abused them
FILE - In this May 7, 2012, file photo, coach Mike Teti shows off the bronze medal in the Seoul Olympics and the gold medal in the 1987 World Championship in Copenhagen in his office in Oakland, Calif. As the Tokyo Games approach, US Rowing is awaiting the results of a months-long assessment commissioned by the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee of its national team programs, including the men's group based in Oakland, where longtime coach Mike Teti is being criticized by some rowers for what they call his intense and intimidating style. (AP Photo/Paul Sakuma, File)
OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — U.S. Rowing is awaiting the results of an assessment commissioned by the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee of the sport’s national team programs, including the men’s group based in Oakland, where longtime coach Mike Teti is being criticized by some rowers for what they call his intimidating style.
Athletes offer drastically different accounts of what rowing is like under Teti’s leadership.
Members of the men’s eight boat team stood united behind Teti weeks before the Tokyo Olympics, but nine rowers told The Associated Press that they have direct knowledge of Teti physically threatening athletes or verbally attacking them if they challenged him in any way.