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Callan Chythlook-Sifsof

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Callan Chythlook-Sifsof
Chythlook-Sifsof in 2012
Personal information
BornFebruary 14, 1989 (1989-02-14) (age 35)
Anchorage, Alaska, U.S.
Sport
SportSnowboarding
Medal record
Women's snowboarding
Representing the  United States
Winter X Games
Silver medal – second place 2011 Aspen Snowboard Cross

Callan Chythlook-Sifsof (born February 14, 1989) is an American Olympic snowboarder who has competed in snowboard cross since 2005. She is a Yupik/Inupiaq. She is the first native of Alaska to compete in the Olympics.

Biography

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Early life

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Chythlook-Sifsof grew up in Aleknagik (a rural fishing village of about 300 people, on the coast of the Bering Sea) and Dillingham, Alaska, and then moved with her mother to Girdwood, Anchorage, Alaska to be closer to the Alyeska Resort.[1][2][3] She is a Yupik/Inupiaq Eskimo.[4]

2006–14

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In 2006, she was invited to her first Winter X Games competition and won a silver medal in 2011.[5] She won the U.S. National Championships in Tamarack, Idaho, in 2007.[4] In 2008, she won the Jeep King of the Mountain World snowboard series in Sun Valley, Idaho.[6] Her best World Cup finishes were 3rd place in Furano, Japan, in 2006, and 2nd place in Arosa, Switzerland, in 2011.[7][8] She did not compete in 2009 due to a knee injury.[4][3]

It was announced on January 26, 2010, that Chythlook-Sifsof made the 2010 U.S. Winter Olympic Team. She placed 21st in the qualifying round of women's snowboard cross, and did not advance.[9][10] It was the first time a native of Alaska competed in the Olympics.[3]

In 2012, she had two top-ten World Cup finishes, but then suffered a knee injury that sidelined her for the rest of the season.[4] In 2014, she retired from snowboarding after three back-to-back knee surgeries, and then injuring her knee again.[1]

In February 2014, during the 2014 Winter Olympics, in Sochi, Russia, for which she did not qualify, Chythlook-Sifsof came out publicly as gay, saying she did so in support of ongoing protests of Russia's anti-LGBTQ laws.[11] She stated "it's important to come out and take a stand and show the world that it's not OK to be a bigot."[11]

2015–present

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In February 2022, Chythlook-Sifsof made posts on Instagram during the 2022 Beijing Winter Olympics accusing Peter Foley, who coached the U.S. Snowboard team from 1994 to 2022, of sexual misconduct.[12][13][14][15][16] She wrote, "I cannot watch another Olympic Games without saying this publicly."[17][18] Foley denied the allegations.[14][15][1] USSS immediately implemented an "athlete safety plan" that prohibited Foley from having "one-on-one interaction with female athletes," and from going into an athlete village.[15][16] He was placed on leave by USSS on February 21, temporarily suspended by SafeSport, and then dismissed by USSS on March 20, 2022.[19][20][15][21][16] By August 2022, at least five women had made reports to SafeSport regarding Foley's behavior.[22]

On August 8, 2023, after an 18-month investigation, SafeSport suspended Foley for ten years for sexual misconduct.[23][24][25]

Awards

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Crude Conversations: EP 062 with Callan Chythlook-Sifsof on Apple Podcasts". Apple Podcasts.
  2. ^ "Snowboarder Callan Chythlook-Sifsof Will Miss the Olympics". KDLG. January 27, 2014.
  3. ^ a b c Russell, John F. (February 16, 2010). "Chythlook-Sifsof to compete today in snowboard cross". www.steamboatpilot.com.
  4. ^ a b c d "Callan Chythlook-Sifsof | my.usskiandsnowboard.org". my.usskiandsnowboard.org.
  5. ^ Coryell, Grace (January 29, 2011). "Winter X Games 15 - Women's Snowboarder X Final". ESPN Press Room U.S. Retrieved April 22, 2024.
  6. ^ "2007–08 Annual Report" (PDF). www.usskiandsnowboard.org. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  7. ^ "Miller Tweaks Knee, Cutting Short Worlds". Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  8. ^ Williams, Van (September 30, 2011). "Chythlook-Sifsof concludes 'phenomenal season'". Anchorage Daily News. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  9. ^ "Callan Chythlook-Sifsof Embracing New Role As Para Snowboard Coach". teamusa.org. Retrieved April 17, 2023.
  10. ^ "Callan CHYTHLOOK-SIFSOF"
  11. ^ a b "U.S. Snowboarder Callan Chythlook-Sifsof: I'm Gay". Towleroad Gay News. February 10, 2014. Archived from the original on January 7, 2023. Retrieved August 11, 2023.
  12. ^ John Branch (February 12, 2022). "A U.S. Olympic snowboarding coach is under investigation for sexual misconduct". The New York Times.
  13. ^ Rachel Axon (March 22, 2022). "Report: Four women allege sexual misconduct by snowboarding coach Peter Foley". USA TODAY.
  14. ^ a b John Branch (March 22, 2022). "Snowboarding Coach Faces New Accusations of Sexual Misconduct; Peter Foley, already accused of coercing athletes into posing for nude photos, now faces scrutiny from more women. He has been relieved of his duties as a U.S. Olympic coach". The New York Times.
  15. ^ a b c d Axon, Rachel. "U.S. Ski & Snowboard president defends federation against charges it interfered in Foley probe". USA Today.
  16. ^ a b c Letter from the U.S. Senate
  17. ^ Julie Jag (February 12, 2022). "Utah snowboarder Faye Gulini announces retirement, expresses support for embattled coach; On a day U.S. snowboarding wins gold, a former athlete accuses coach Peter Foley of inappropriate conduct toward women and building a toxic culture". The Salt Lake Tribune.
  18. ^ Maxime Ducher (February 12, 2022). "l'entraîneur de snowboard américain Peter Foley accusé de harcèlement sexuel". Le Parisien.
  19. ^ Sederquist, Ryan (March 26, 2022). "SafeSport case involving longtime U.S. snowboard coach intensifies". www.vaildaily.com.
  20. ^ "Snowboard coach accused of sexual assault". ESPN. March 22, 2022.
  21. ^ "Sources: U.S. snowboard accused of interference". ESPN. March 24, 2022.
  22. ^ "Two more U.S. Ski and Snowboard officials out". ESPN. August 26, 2022.
  23. ^ "Centralized Disciplinary Database". U.S. Center for SafeSport.
  24. ^ Les Carpenter (August 8, 2023). "Olympics; Former U.S. snowboard coach Peter Foley suspended after sexual misconduct probe," The Washington Post.
  25. ^ Tom Schad (August 8, 2023). "SafeSport suspends ex-US Olympic snowboarding coach Peter Foley after sexual misconduct probe". USA TODAY.
  26. ^ Zeigler, Cyd (December 26, 2022). "Callan Chythlook-Sifsof is Outsports 2022 Female Hero of the Year". Outsports.
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