Following a report by The Orange County Register disclosing past allegations of sexual misconduct toward minors, Olympic two-time 400 meter hurdle champion Angelo Taylor was suspended immediately as a youth coach by the United States Track and Field Federation on Thursday during an emergency action, the California-based newspaper reported.
Taylor, a coach with the East Atlanta Track Club who was a member of the USATF Georgia's association's board of directors, had been arrested twice in 2005 for allegations of child molestation in two separate cases before the Olympian later pled down to lesser charges and was put on probation.
At the time, Taylor pled guilty to "contributing to the delinquency of two underage girls" in January of 2006, though the child molestation charges were dropped by the county prosecutors.
In a statement the OC Register published on Thursday, the USATF said: "Accordingly, this individual is prohibited from participating, in any capacity, in any activity or competition authorized by, sanctioned by, or under the auspices of USATF or the USOC, and/or any Local Affiliated Organizations of USATF (including any USATF associations and clubs). This individual has been placed on USATF's list of suspended individuals."
As of Friday, Taylor had not responded via telephone or by email to The OC Register.
According to the report, Taylor has coached over a handful of young athletes, many reaching the collegiate ranks, and was a coach with the Elite Speed Summer Track Club in Decatur, Georgia, from 2016-2018.
Taylor could request a hearing, the OC Register reported, which would determine if "the provisional suspension shall be upheld, dissolved, or whether other emergency action instead of a suspension shall be taken."
To read the full story, visit The OC Register.