American fencer Curtis McDowald, who competed at the Tokyo Olympics in 2021, has been temporarily suspended for allegations of misconduct, according to the U.S. Center for SafeSport website.
The suspension took effect Friday, according to the website, and there was no additional information immediately available about the allegations.
SafeSport is an independent body tasked by Congress with protecting athletes in the Olympic movement.
“Once we became aware of the allegations, we immediately informed the U.S. Center for SafeSport, who exercised their ability to take jurisdictional control of the case and upheld our temporary measures’’ related to the suspension, USA Fencing said in a statement. “We take the safety and integrity of our sport seriously and will cooperate fully with the inquiry while maintaining the confidentiality of the involved parties. We also encourage anyone who has been harmed in sport to come forward, and we will support them to the fullest extent of our abilities.’’
McDowald, 27, competed in the ongoing Pan American Games in Chile as a member of the U.S. men’s épée team that won the gold medal. He was required to stay in a separate hotel away from the Athlete Village because of an unrelated prior incident, according to Bryan Wendell, Director of Communications for USA Fencing.
Wendell said he could not provide information about the prior incident because USA Fencing learned about it through SafeSport.
McDowald did not immediately respond to a request for comment from USA TODAY Sports made by phone with his mother.
In June, McDowald kicked and damaged a free-standing banner following a loss at the Pan American Senior Championships, leading to the disqualification of the U.S. men’s épée team.
U.S. fencer Andrew Doddo is under investigation by the U.S. Center for SafeSport, USA Fencing confirmed to USA TODAY Sports in July. SafeSport has declined to provide information about the matter.
In June, Alen Hadzic, the U.S. fencer who went to the Tokyo Olympics as an alternate despite being under investigation for sexual misconduct, was declared permanently ineligible by SafeSport.
As part of McDowald’s suspension, he is prohibited from being present at any USA Fencing sanctioned event, club, meeting, facility, education session, or otherwise, according to USA Fencing.
