United States Ski & Snowboard says it has opened an investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct and inappropriate behavior involving longtime head coach Peter Foley.
“U.S. Ski & Snowboard has been made aware of the recent allegations,” the organization said in a statement to CNN. “We take these allegations very seriously and the allegations are being investigated.”
The allegations were brought to the surface by Instagram posts made by former athlete former athlete Callan Chythlook-Sifsof, a member of the 2010 US Olympic snowboard team.
In a series of Instagram posts, 32-year-old Chythlook-Sifsof accused Foley of taking “naked photos of female athletes for over a decade.”
Chythlook-Sifsof’s post also accused fellow athlete Hagen Kearney of intimidating behavior and using racial slurs. Kearney is currently competing in snowboard cross in Beijing.
Chythlook-Sifsof reposted the allegations to her page and her story after Instagram removed them for violating “our guidelines on nudity or sexual activity” and “bullying.”
What Foley says: Foley has served as a head coach of the US snowboard team since it was founded in 1994. He has denied the accusations and told Newsweek he was “surprised by them.”
He said: “I’m surprised by the allegations. I vehemently deny the allegations. I’m doing my best to concentrate on supporting the athletes at the Olympics.”
The allegations: In one post, Chythlook-Sifsof began by saying: “I cannot watch another Olympic Games without saying this publicly.”
She went on to say that during a race in in Lake Louise, Alberta, Canada, in 2014, Foley made an explicit comment to her and a female teammate about sexual acts with another woman.
In the same post, she said Kearney used the n-word routinely to “intentionally to get under my skin.”
In an email to USA Today, Kearney said, “I made a mistake years ago with my words and appropriate action was taken. I learned from my mistake and I’m a better person now for it.”
US Ski & Snowboard spokesperson Tom Horrocks did not respond to questions asking whether Foley, who is currently in Beijing, will continue to coach throughout the Olympics, and would not comment further at this time.
The US Center for SafeSport told CNN that they do not comment on “matters to protect the integrity of the investigative process.”
CNN has reached out to Chythlook-Sifsof, Foley, and Kearney for additional comment, but did not immediately hear back.
CNN’s Kevin Dotson contributed to this report
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