A former champion has been disqualified from Alaska’s largest dog sled race after allegedly assaulting multiple women.
Brent Sass, 44, who won the 2022 Iditarod Trial Sled Dog Race, was disqualified by the trail committee following charges.
Sass has not been charged with any crime, but the decision was made after receiving a letter from Planned Parenthood Alliance of Alaska advocacy group on behalf of a group of women who have accused her of sexual assault. According to Alaska Public Media.
Mr. Sass denied the accusations and insisted they were “all made up.”
“None of this is true,” he said, according to Alaska Public Media. “Because they want to ruin my career.”
The 1,100-mile Iditarod starts March 2 in Anchorage, with 40 athletes racing through the Alaskan wilderness to commemorate the efforts of mushers to rush lifesaving medicine from Fairbanks to diphtheria-stricken Nome in 1925. .
“You are giving your accusers exactly what they want, and you end up hurting the actual victims of sexual abuse and theft.” suspensions said in a statement posted on social media..
He also said he would “not withdraw” from the 2024 race.
The letter did not list the accuser’s name, but one of the alleged victims contacted by Alaska Public Media works for Sass and lives in his kennel. After she said no, he said he strangled her before forcing her to have sex. On another occasion, he allegedly forced her to perform anal sex, the paper said. In both cases, she could not stop by, she claimed.
Another woman who spoke to Alaska Public Media said that nearly 10 years ago, Sass slapped her during sex without her consent and forced her to perform oral sex multiple times, according to the report. He accused her of forcing him to have sex after she said no.
Sass’s accusers have not filed a police report, and the mashers have not been charged.
He maintains his innocence and told Alaska Public Media: I am a polite and courteous person. ”
The Iditarod Trials Committee said its decision followed the race’s rulebook, which included “pedestrian conduct that was recklessly harmful” to the race, competitors and sponsors. Stated.
Mr. Sass harshly criticized the commission’s response, saying the commission was “trying to eliminate the problem rather than confronting it,” adding, “It sets a terrible precedent and forces future wrongly accused people to think “It gives us permission to cast outrageous false accusations about people.” I want to destroy it. ”
Sass was also asked to withdraw from the Kuskokwim 300 race in December, citing a family planning letter. He withdrew from the race.
A second contestant, 2023 Rookie of the Year Eddie Burke Jr., had his disqualification from the Iditarod revoked after an unrelated assault charge was dropped.
Burke was charged with felony and misdemeanor assault in 2022 after his then-girlfriend told police he strangled her until she nearly lost consciousness. He maintained his innocence.
A hearing panel on Friday said Burke could compete after the state Department of Justice withdrew the case, Alaska Public Media reported.
According to ProPublica, Alaska has one of the highest rates of sexual assault in the nation.
Comes with post wire.
