FanDuel bans bettor for heckling Gabby Thomas
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The bettor posted on social media that he “made Gabby lose by heckling her. And it made my parlay win.”

Over the weekend, a sports bettor who taunted Olympic gold medalist sprinter Gabby Thomas at a Grand Slam Track event in Philadelphia has been banned from the betting platform FanDuel Sportsbook.

In a statement released to The Associated Press on Wednesday, FanDuel stated it “strongly condemns any form of abusive behavior towards athletes. Threatening or harassing athletes is intolerable and doesn’t belong in sports. This individual’s account has been permanently suspended from using FanDuel services.”

During the event, Thomas secured a fourth-place finish in the 100-meter race, which was won by Melissa Jefferson-Wooden. The bettor claimed on social media that his heckling contributed to Thomas’s loss and mentioned that it helped his parlay triumph. He shared an image of his betting slip, which showed Jefferson-Wooden as the winner of the 100-meter event.

Thomas, the 200-meter champion at the Paris Games last summer, explained the heckling incident on X. She wrote: “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 track league launched by Hall of Fame sprinter Michael Johnson this spring, wrote in a statement it was “conducting a full investigation into the reprehensible behavior captured on video.

“We are working to identify the individual involved and will take appropriate action as necessary. We will implement additional safeguards to help prevent incidents like this in the future. Let us be clear, despicable behavior like this will not be tolerated.”

ESPN first reported the bettor had been banned by FanDuel. The Grand Slam Track season wraps up with the fourth and final meet in Los Angeles on June 28-29.

The Thomas incident is the latest in a string of stalking and abuse of female athletes. Frida Karlsson, a Swedish cross-country skiing world champion, recently brought her experience with stalking into public view when she went through a trial.

A man in his 60s was given a suspended sentence and ordered to pay 40,000 kronor ($4,100) in damages after being convicted of stalking Karlsson for a year and four months, according to Swedish news agency TT. The man, according to the indictment, called Karlsson 207 times, left her voicemails and text messages and approached her, including outside her apartment.

In February, police in the United Arab Emirates detained a man who caused British tennis player Emma Raducanu distress by exhibiting “ fixated behavior ” toward he at a tennis tournament. Raducanu had been approached by the man at the Dubai Championships where he left her a note, took her photograph and engaged in behavior that caused her distress, according to the government of Dubai’s media office.

AP Sports Writers Mark Anderson and Schuyler Dixon contributed to this report.

Copyright 2025 Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.     

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