Olympic gold medalist Gabby Thomas is speaking out after a troubling incident at the Grand Slam Track meet in Philadelphia, where she says a sports bettor verbally harassed her and followed her around the stadium.
Thomas, 28, took to X (formerly Twitter) on Monday to share her experience, recounting how the bettor confronted her as she interacted with fans at Franklin Field last Sunday. According to Thomas, the man repeatedly shouted insults and refused to back down, even after the race had ended.
“Honestly the heckling is tolerable,” Thomas posted. “It’s following me around the stadium that’s wild.”
The track star, who recently won three gold medals at the 2024 Paris Olympics in the 200-meter dash and relay events, said the encounter crossed the line from harmless banter to outright stalking.
Harassment Caught on Video
In a video clip that the bettor himself posted on X, he can be heard calling Thomas a “choke artist” while referencing her interracial relationship—comments that have drawn widespread condemnation.
The man boasted online about winning more than $1,000 on a parlay bet involving the women’s 100-meter dash, in which Thomas finished fourth. Screenshots of his FanDuel wagers were also shared on social media, adding fuel to the fire.
“Anybody who enables him online is gross,” Thomas wrote in another post, calling out those who support the bettor’s behavior.
Despite the bettor’s claims that he wasn’t stalking Thomas, she described a pattern of him trailing her as she took photos and signed autographs for fans.
Investigation Launched by Grand Slam Track League
The Grand Slam Track league, which organized the meet, has responded swiftly. In a statement Monday, the league condemned the behavior and announced a full investigation.
“Grand Slam Track is conducting a full investigation into the reprehensible behavior captured on video,” the statement read. “We are working to identify the individual involved and will take appropriate action as necessary.”
This isn’t the first time Thomas has faced troubling encounters from overzealous fans. Earlier this year, she spoke on TikTok about a group of men who have repeatedly approached her at airports around the country. These men, she said, have her flight information and become aggressive when she refuses to sign autographs.
“They show up at my gate with flight tickets, which means they’re getting past security,” Thomas said in her video. “It’s unsettling.”
Athletes Grapple with Harassment from Angry Bettors
Thomas’s experience highlights a growing problem in sports: the intersection of harassment and gambling. As sports betting expands across the U.S., more athletes are finding themselves on the receiving end of angry and entitled bettors.
A report from major tennis governing bodies last year revealed that nearly half of all abusive messages sent to players came from frustrated bettors. In Major League Baseball, players like Lance McCullers Jr. and Paul Sewald have publicly spoken about receiving death threats and even hiring security to protect their families after poor performances.
“It’s not really about the team anymore,” Sewald told USA TODAY Sports last summer. “These people are losing money they don’t have, and they lash out.”
For Thomas, who has been a powerful voice for women in sports, the recent harassment underscores a larger issue: how social media and gambling have combined to create new forms of athlete abuse.
The situation in Philadelphia is still under investigation, and Thomas’s fans and supporters have rallied around her online, praising her for refusing to stay silent in the face of harassment.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Gabby Thomas, American gold medalist, calls out bettor for harassment at track
