Athletes are accusing an Oakland-based Olympic rowing coach of verbal abuse amid the looming Tokyo Games.
Mike Teti, 64, is facing criticism from nine rowers for, what they call, his intense and intimidating style. The nine athletes allege that Teti has physically threatened athletes or verbally attacked them if they challenged him in any way.
"He’ll vary so wildly from the guy that you think is actually going to have his uncle kill you if you don’t win, to the guy that’s crying and telling you that he loves you," one former Olympic rower said.
The rower likened Teti to a "raging storm that he has a hard time controlling."
A former national team member recalled a time he heard the coach threaten another rower. "I have heard Mike Teti tell athletes 'if you take one more step, I am going to punch you, I am going to kill you,'" the rower said.
In a statement responding to the accusations, Teti said: "I believe that I have coached fairly, with the athletes’ well-being in mind."
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