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FanDuel has taken a firm stance against abusive behavior by banning a bettor who aggressively heckled Olympic champion Gabby Thomas during a recent track event in Philadelphia. The individual, known on social media as "mr100kaday," posted a video of himself taunting Thomas before her 100-meter race, also sharing a screenshot of a $1,000 parlay bet he had placed on FanDuel, claiming his actions were intended to influence the race's outcome.

Gabby Thomas, who won a gold medal at the Olympics, recounted the incident on social media platform X, describing how the man followed her around the track, hurling personal insults as she interacted with fans, including many children. Thomas expressed her dismay at the harassment she endured last weekend at the Grand Slam Track event.

In response to the incident, FanDuel issued a statement condemning the behavior and confirming the bettor's ban from their platform. "FanDuel condemns in the strongest terms abusive behavior directed towards athletes," stated a FanDuel spokesperson. "Threatening or harassing athletes is unacceptable and has no place in sports. This customer is no longer able to wager with FanDuel."

The Grand Slam Track organization has also initiated an investigation aimed at identifying the heckler and taking appropriate action. They conveyed their commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of athletes and fans attending their events.

Sadly, this incident is not isolated. Athletes across various sports have reported increases in harassment from bettors, particularly since the expansion of legal sports betting in the United States. Notably, Houston Astros pitcher Lance McCullers Jr. experienced threats towards his family after a game in May, which were traced back to an overseas bettor.

A study from 2022, commissioned by the NCAA, revealed that abuse from "angry sports bettors" constitutes one of the most frequent forms of harassment faced by college athletes, accounting for at least 12% of publicly posted social media abuse. This growing trend of abusive behavior underscores the need for stringent measures to protect athletes from harassment both online and offline.