Two-time Olympic gold medalist Cliti Keeler was among the crowd of President Donald Trump’s supporters. Inside the US Capitol building during last week’s rebellion, According to reports.
a Video A Townhall Media reporter posted on Twitter showed a man believed to be Keeler standing in the middle of a group that was putting pressure on police officers who were trying to evacuate the Rotunda building.
The man was seen wearing a jacket with the letters „USA” written on the back.
The The New York Times And the Washington Post They said they spoke to their former teammates and coaches who identified the man in the video as Keeler.
NBC News was unable to independently verify that the former Olympic player was involved, and calls to the numbers listed for him were not immediately returned on Wednesday.
USA Swimming said it was aware of the reports.
„We respect the rights of individuals and groups to peacefully protest, but we do not in any way condone the measures taken by those on the Capitol last week,” the spokesman said in a statement.
The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee said it condemned „the violent actions of rioters”.
„We support the right to peacefully protest and express values and points of view in a respectful and legal manner – this is what makes our democracy strong. Unfortunately, this did not happen in this case,” the committee said.
Keeler, 38, has not commented publicly on his alleged involvement with the Capitol, which was first reported by Swimming site Swam swam.
The athlete, who was a colleague of Michael Phelps, was a member of three American Olympic teams. He won the gold medal At the 4x200m relay team event in Athens in 2004 and Beijing in 2008. He won a silver medal in the event at the Sydney Olympics in 2000.
USA Swimming said it last registered as a member in 2008. After moving away from the sport, Keeler worked as an independent contractor at Hoff & Leigh, a real estate agency in Colorado Springs.
The agency said in a statement that Keeler resigned on Tuesday.
„Hof and Lee support the right to freedom of expression and legal protest, but we cannot condone actions that violate the rule of law,” the agency said.
„We pride ourselves on our core values deeply rooted in family, loyalty, community, and stewardship. We continue to uphold these values.”
On Wednesday, hundreds of Trump supporters stormed the Capitol to protest the Electoral College vote to confirm President-elect Joe Biden’s victory in the November election. Five people, including a police officer, were killed during the incursion.
Acting US attorney in Washington, Mike Sherwin, said last week Charges were brought against 55 people In connection with the riots, various crimes were committed, including illegal entry, assault, theft and weapons charges.
Sherwin said federal and local investigators are searching social media for photos and videos of suspects involved in illegal activity, and those people are being arrested as quickly as possible. No video has emerged of Keeler participating in any violence on the Capitol building.
„Bendras interneto gerbėjas. Neapsikentęs„ twitter „guru. Intravertas. Visas skaitytojas. Popkultūros nindzė. Socialinės žiniasklaidos entuziastas.”