US News
Published
Feb. 24, 2024, 7:14 pm ET
Alaska’s largest sled canine race disqualified a former champion after he was accused of assaulting a number of girls.
Brent Sass, 44, who received the Iditarod Trial Sled Dog Race in 2022, was disqualified by the Trail Committee within the wake of the accusations.
Sass isn’t dealing with any expenses, however the choice was made after he acquired a letter from the Planned Parenthood Alliance Advocates Alaska on behalf of a gaggle of girls who accused him sexual assault, according to Alaska Public Media.
Sass denied the accusation, claiming it was “all made up.”
“None of this is true,” he mentioned, in keeping with Alaska Public Media. “This is because they want to ruin my career.”
The 1,100-mile Iditarod will kick off March 2 in Anchorage, with 40 opponents racing throughout the Alaska wilderness, commemorating the 1925 effort by mushers to hurry life-saving medication from Fairbanks to diptheria-stricken Nome.
“You are giving the accusers exactly what they are hoping for and in the end this hurts the actual victims of sexual abuse and the sport of mushing,” Sass said in a statement posted to social media.
The musher additionally mentioned he would “not be withdrawing” from the 2024 race.
The letter didn’t determine any of his accusers, however one alleged sufferer contacted by Alaska Public Media, who labored for Sass and lived at his canine kennel, mentioned he choked her earlier than forcing her to have intercourse with him, after she instructed him no. At a special time, he allegedly pressured her into anal intercourse, in keeping with the outlet. She was unable to cease in on each events, she claimed.
Another girl who spoke to Alaska Public Media accused Sass of slapping her throughout intercourse with out her consent, forcing her to carry out oral intercourse on a number of events practically a decade in the past, and compelled her to have intercourse after she mentioned no, in keeping with the outlet.
Sass’ accusers didn’t file police experiences, nor has the musher been sued.
He maintains his innocence, telling Alaska Public Media: “I have never, ever, ever, ever, ever had nonconsensual sex with anyone. I am a respectful, upstanding human being.”
The Iditarod Trial Committee mentioned its choice adopted the race’s rulebook, which states that “musher conduct that is recklessly injurious” to the race, its opponents, or sponsors.
Sass hit out on the committee’s response, saying they’re attempting to “get rid of the problem instead of facing it” and mentioned it “sets a terrible precedent and gives future false accusers the green light to throw out outrageous and false accusations about anyone they want to destroy.”
Sass was additionally requested in December to withdraw from the Kuskokwim 300 race as a result of Planned Parenthood letter. He did withdraw from that race.
A second competitor, the 2023 rookie of the yr Eddie Burke Jr., had his Iditarod disqualification reversed after expenses in an unrelated assault case had been dropped.
Burke was dealing with felony and misdemeanor assault expenses after his then-girlfriend instructed police in 2022 that he strangled her to the purpose of almost shedding consciousness. He maintained his innocence.
The Trial Committee on Friday mentioned Burke might compete after the State Department of Law dropped the case, Alaska Public Media reported.
Alaska has one of many highest charges of sexual assault within the nation, in keeping with ProfessionalPublica.
With Post wires.
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