Three-time Olympic medalist Dennis Mitchell will remain as a U.S. track and field relays coach through the Rio Olympics after USA Track and Field clarified a rule change, according to Reuters.
Mitchell coaches top U.S. sprinter Justin Gatlin and resigned in February as a U.S. relays coach due to a new rule that prohibits the coach of an athlete likely to be part of the relay pool from coaching a relay.
But since Mitchell was a relays coach before the rule was put into place, he will now remain a relays coach through at least the Rio Olympics, according to USA Track and Field.
“Any new provisions for the national relay coach policy, if enacted, will take effect late 2016,” USATF spokeswoman Jill Geer said, according to Reuters. “As a result of the new timeline, Dennis Mitchell will continue to serve as national relay coach through the 2016 Olympic Games, as previously approved by USATF and the USOC.”
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