US Ski and Snowboard, the governing body of the two sports in the US, has ended its nearly three decades-long association with coach Peter Foley after three former athletes accused him of sexual misconduct.
"As of March 20, 2022, Peter Foley is no longer employed by U.S. Ski and Snowboard," the organisation said in a statement to CNN. "Mr. Foley has been on a leave of absence since February 21, 2022," the statement added.
The allegations against 56-year-old Foley appeared for the first time during the Beijing Winter Games last month when Callan Chythlook-Sifsof, an ex-member of the US Olympic snowboard team, made a series of Instagram* posts, accusing him of inappropriate sexual behaviour.
However, Foley dismissed the allegations at the time.
"I'm surprised by the allegations. I vehemently deny the allegations. I'm doing my best to concentrate on supporting the athletes at the Olympics," he told Newsweek.
But an athlete who remained anonymous, detailed the extent of the abuse to ESPN during the weekend.
"I was on the edge of the bed and I was asleep and at one point I feel someone (Foley) sneak in behind me in the bed," the athlete said. "(The coach) reached his left arm over my body and put his fingers inside me. I just laid there," she added. "I remember just laying there in shock. It happened for a while and it just stopped and he got up and left."
Foley's exit from US Ski and Snowboard came after he was provisionally suspended on Friday by the US Center for SafeSport, a federal government watchdog that has the powers to investigate matters of sexual misconduct in US Olympic sports.
*Instagram is banned in Russia for extremist activity.