ANCHORAGE, Alaska — Claims of violence against women are roiling the world’s most famous sled dog race — Alaska’s Iditarod — 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,'' the email said.
On Monday, the committee held an emergency meeting and disqualified the 2023 rookie of the year, Eddie Burke Jr. 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 Anchorage Daily News.
The committee offered no explanation of Burke's disqualification beyond noting a rule that mushers ''will 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.
''After 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,'' she wrote.
On Friday, Burke was reinstated. He did not immediately respond to messages seeking comment.
