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U.S. Olympic shooter Sanderson to miss Tokyo Olympics following suspension

Keith Sanderson
Posted at 3:49 PM, Jun 24, 2021
and last updated 2021-06-24 16:49:37-04

U.S. Olympic shooter Keith Sanderson will miss the Tokyo Olympics following a suspension brought by the U.S. Center for SafeSport.

According to the USA Shooting, they were notified by the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) that Sanderson would not be participating in this year's Olympic games.

"USA Shooting remains committed to the safety of our athletes, staff, and volunteers, and SafeSport is an important part of that commitment," Matt Suggs, CEO of USA Shooting, said in a news release. "Since the launch of the U.S. Center for SafeSport, 20 cases have been filed in connection with USA Shooting, and this is the first suspension of any kind for a USAS staff member, volunteer, coach, or athlete. This is a somber day for our organization, but we must remain focused on our final preparations for Tokyo. We have an excellent young team that has been bringing home the hardware from the recent World Cups in India and Italy."

According to the U.S. Center for SafeSport website, they respond "to reports of allegations of sexual abuse and sexual misconduct within the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee."

NBC Sports reported that Sanderson received a three-month suspension for reported sexual misconduct and sexual harassment.

According to USA Shooting, Jack Leverett III was promoted to fill Sanderson's spot and will compete in the Men’s 25M Rapid Fire Pistol alongside his brother Henry.