UCLA dismissed track and field and cross country runner Chris Weiland on Monday evening after an alleged text and video message exchange surfaced on Instagram of him using racist and sexist language.
Head coach Avery Anderson declared Weiland’s dismissal in a statement by the group’s Twitter accounts Monday night, while also admitting he’d previously suspended Weiland.
“Chris Weiland has been dismissed as part of the cross country and track and field teams,” Anderson’s statement said. “When first learning of this a few weeks ago, I was disgusted and instantly suspended him indefinitely from the group.
“In my disgust, as a coach, my intentions would be to lead and instruct and make the change happen that I want to see in this world. I can talk about changing the world, or I will put in the work to do so. And that is what I have done over the last few months with this person.”
After reinstating Weiland at January, Anderson said in his statement that”was not the ideal choice” after group members expressed concern that Weiland’s”continued involvement with the group is incompatible with the culture of mutual aid and respect we are fostering.”
Ahead of Weiland’s dismissal, the UCLA Black Student-Athlete Association on Sunday had issued an announcement stating it was”deeply disturbing to learn that UCLA understood about an incident of blatant racism, homophobia, and sexism and did quite minimal actions about it”
The four-minute video of Weiland’s alleged remarks was posted to societal websites, and a man could be heard using anti-gay and racist slurs. Besides the video, text messages allegedly from Weiland that contained racist and sexist remarks were posted to social websites.
