ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) 鈥 Claims of violence against women are roiling the world's most famous sled dog race 鈥 Alaska's Iditarod 鈥 with officials disqualifying two top mushers this week and then quickly reinstating one of them on Friday, days before the start.
The upheaval began last week, when the Iditarod Trail Committee, the race's governing body, sent an email to all competitors saying it had been informed of several accusations concerning violence against and abuse of women within the mushing community.
"The ITC Board cannot tolerate such conduct by anyone affiliated with the Iditarod,鈥 the email said.
On Monday, the committee held an emergency meeting and disqualified the 2023 rookie of the year, . Burke had been facing single felony and misdemeanor assault charges after his then-girlfriend told police in May 2022 that he had strangled her to the point she almost lost consciousness, according to the .
The committee offered no explanation of Burke's disqualification beyond noting a rule that mushers 鈥渨ill be held to a high standard of personal and professional conduct."
Two days later, the State of Alaska dismissed the charges because the former girlfriend declined to participate in the case, Alaska Department of Law spokesperson Patty Sullivan said Friday in an email to The Associated Press.
鈥淎fter a thorough review of the evidence in this investigation, the Department of Law determined that it would be unable to prove the assault charges beyond a reasonable doubt to a trial jury,鈥 she wrote.
On Friday, Burke was reinstated. He did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.
鈥淎dditional information was provided to the Iditarod Trail Committee Board today regarding Eddie Burke Jr.,鈥 the committee said in a news release. 鈥淯pon reviewing this information, the Board voted to reinstate Mr. Burke as a competitor in the 2024 Iditarod.鈥
In the meantime, though, the committee on Thursday night disqualified 鈥 again, without offering any details about why. No criminal cases against Sass appear in online Alaska court records.
鈥淚 am beyond disappointed with the decision the Iditarod has reached to disqualify me,鈥 said a statement posted Friday to of Sass' kennel. 鈥淭he anonymous accusations that have been made against me are completely false.鈥
It was not immediately clear what accusations Sass was referring to. But on Friday, an Anchorage attorney, Caitlin Shortell, issued a statement saying, 鈥淢ore than one Alaskan has sought legal advice and representation from our law firm based on their reports of sexual assault by a dog musher who was disqualified today by the Iditarod" 鈥 an apparent reference to Sass.
鈥淥ur clients retained counsel and sought to remain anonymous because of the high risk that disclosure of their identities and experiences would subject them to retraumatization, invasion of privacy, litigation, and potential violence by their assailant or others,鈥 the statement says.
This year鈥檚 1,000-mile (1,609-kilometer) race across the Alaska wilderness begins March 2 with the The competitive start comes the next day, about 75 miles (121 kilometers) north of Anchorage.
Sass' removal leaves remaining in this year鈥檚 field. Last year, 33 mushers started, since the Iditarod was first held in 1973.
It鈥檚 not the first time Sass has been disqualified from the Iditarod.
In 2015, he was removed from the race after officials with him on the trail, a violation of race rules barring two-way communication devices. Even though the iPod Touch was not a phone, he could have communicated with others when it connected to the Internet, officials said.
