Thread by @bri_sacks

Today, as Olympic athletes walked in the opening ceremony, one US fencer, who is in Tokyo, did not participate. That's because he is under investigation for sexual assault.

So why has Alen Hadzic been allowed to compete in these games? We investigated: buzzfeednews.com/article/briann…

Hadzic, a US fencing alternate, was the subject of multiple complaints to SafeSport, an org set up to investigate misconduct claims against Olympic athletes. He was suspended in June due to investigation, but later appealed, allowing him to go to Tokyo. buzzfeednews.com/article/briann…

.@MelissaDSegura and I interviewed 30 current and former USA fencers and officials, including three women who have formally accused Hadzic of sexual misconduct, detailing what they say is a pattern of misbehavior and violence going back to 2010.

buzzfeednews.com/article/briann…

Hadzic's presence has unsettled his teammates. USA Fencing created a "safety plan" to keep him separate from the team, providing him w/ diff flights and accommodations outside of the Olympic Village. He was not allowed to walk in the opening ceremony. buzzfeednews.com/article/briann…

In May, when Team USA fencers sent an email to the US Olympic committee outlining their issues with Hadzic, they received an email back that did little to address their concerns.

Instead, the email suggested the athletes use a meditation app. buzzfeednews.com/article/briann…

This story goes beyond one athlete, and shows what US fencers believe is a culture of abuse. One USA Fencing board member has no recollection of Hadzic being reported. “If his case would have been brought, he probably would have been banned,” he said.
buzzfeednews.com/article/briann…

An update from Tokyo: #TeamUSA men's epee team deliberately wore pink masks for their opening match to stand in solidarity w/ sexual assault survivors and against their teammate, Alen Hadzic, who is under investigation for sexual assault

"The disdain was clear," a source said