U.S. Paralympians banned for questioning teammate’s disability

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Now this certainly wasn’t in the Paralympic spirit.

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Four members of the U.S. Paralympic swim team were banned from attending the Summer Games closing ceremonies earlier this month after making comments on social media disparaging a fellow competitor.

Jessica Long, Gia Pergolini, Julia Gaffney and Anastasia Pagonis were disciplined after reportedly appearing to question the disability of one of their teammates, saying that it violated U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee rules.

“We can confirm that sanctions have been imposed on several athletes due to unacceptable behavior,” a USOPC spokesperson wrote in a statement to the Washington Post. “It is important to uphold the standards expected of Team USA athletes, and we remain committed to addressing any actions that undermine our values.”

The punishments stem from comments made about Christie Raleigh Crossley, who suffers from a neurological disorder known as S9.

Long took aim at her teammates in the comments of an Instagram post celebrating Raleigh Crossley’s world record-setting 50-meter freestyle swim on Aug. 29.

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Sarai Gascon Moreno, a Spanish swimmer, commented, “S9? It’s a joke?” to which Long replied, “I stand with you.”

In a separate post that has been deleted, Gaffney went after Raleigh Crossley writing, “Not a positive impact. Intentional misrepresentation is never cute.”

Pagonis replied with “this” and a raising hands emoji while Pergolini wrote “well said” on the same post.

Raleigh Crossley addressed those questioning her disability while in Paris.

“I went from enjoying a world record to being utterly devastated that the entire world seems to think I was a cheater and that I was somehow faking the hole in my brain and the cyst in my spinal cord,” Raleigh Crossley said. “To be told online by all of these bullies that I am not somehow disabled as I appear, just because I can swim faster than them, it’s pretty devastating.”

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Having to miss the closing ceremonies might be just the first punishment for the four swimmers, too. Further penalties also could include suspensions and a loss of stipends.

This isn’t the first time that Long has been outspoken about cheating in Paralympic swimming. Earlier this month, she accused the Paralympic committee of being too lenient with their regulations.  

“For me, I’ve seen the Paralympic movement for so long,” she said. “I think we have intentional misrepresentation (rules) for a reason. And I think we are not using it. I think we really should, right? I want to see Paralympics with integrity. I want to see it better. 

“And that’s what I will always stand for.”

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