FanDuel Takes Action Against Bettor Who Harassed Gabby Thomas
A bettor was banned from FanDuel Sportsbook after he heckled Olympic champion sprinter Gabby Thomas at a Grand Slam Track event in Philadelphia over the weekend.
In a statement released to the media, FanDuel condemned the abusive behavior directed at athletes, asserting that such actions are intolerable in sports. "This customer is no longer able to wager with FanDuel," the statement read.
During the event, Thomas finished fourth in the 100-meter race, which was won by Melissa Jefferson-Wooden. The bettor boasted on social media about his actions, claiming he "made Gabby lose by heckling her," and shared a photo of his winning parlay bet that included Jefferson-Wooden's victory.
Thomas, who secured the 200-meter title at last summer's Paris Games, addressed the incident on X, stating, "This grown man followed me around the track as I took pictures and signed autographs for fans (mostly children) shouting personal insults — anybody who enables him online is gross."
Grand Slam Track, a league founded by Hall of Fame sprinter Michael Johnson this spring, announced it is conducting a thorough investigation into the incident. "We are working to identify the individual involved and will take appropriate action as necessary," they stated. "Despicable behavior like this will not be tolerated."
Reports indicate that ESPN was the first to disclose FanDuel's decision to ban the bettor. The Grand Slam Track season is set to conclude with its final meet in Los Angeles on June 28-29.
This incident involving Thomas highlights a troubling trend of harassment faced by female athletes. Recently, Swedish cross-country skiing champion Frida Karlsson publicly shared her experience with stalking, which resulted in a man receiving a suspended sentence and being ordered to pay damages after being convicted of stalking her for over a year.
In another case, British tennis player Emma Raducanu experienced distress due to a man exhibiting "fixated behavior" towards her at a tournament in Dubai. Authorities detained the individual after he approached her multiple times, left notes, and took photographs that caused her significant discomfort.
