Lolo Jones, the two-time Olympic hurdler turned bobsledder, is leveling serious accusations against the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee and USA Bobsled, alleging they nearly left her paralyzed through negligence. In a series of social media posts, the 42-year-old athlete claimed that a new sled position tested in March 2025 caused severe spinal damage, and that officials ignored her pleas for help.
Jones, who won world indoor gold in the 60-meter hurdles and represented the U.S. at the 2008 and 2012 Summer Games, transitioned to bobsledding and made the team for the 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics. But earlier this week, she took aim at the organizations she says failed her. “I was never even given an X-ray or an MRI,” Jones wrote on X. “I wasn’t even allowed to use the ice bath to numb the pain. I did not even know my spine was seriously injured. I just knew I was in pain.”
The Iowa native described suffering from “brutal lower-back pain, numbness, leg instability, foot drop, [and] loss of bladder control” while preparing for the 2025 World Championships. She says the symptoms were a direct result of a new racing position she was asked to try. Jones claims that had the pilot crashed during training or competition, she could have been paralyzed. “Everyone thinks crashing is the scariest part of bobsled,” she wrote. “Try taking on the machine of @usopc and USA Bobsled to demand basic care for an injured athlete instead.”
Jones didn't stop there. She accused the governing bodies of stripping her rights and completely destroying her life. “They stripped my rights, completely destroyed me, and no one was held accountable. Finally, the truth is getting out,” she posted. The former Olympian says it took her months to speak publicly about the ordeal, but she hopes her story will prevent other athletes from suffering the same fate. “USOPC and USA Bobsled have a duty of care,” she wrote. “I never want an athlete to experience what I did.”
The allegations come amid a broader conversation about athlete welfare in Olympic sports. Jones's case echoes recent accusations of faking injuries in tennis, though her claims are far more serious—involving permanent physical harm. It also raises questions about how the USOPC handles medical care, especially for athletes in less mainstream disciplines like bobsledding.
Jones, who also competed in the 2024 U.S. Olympic Track & Field Trials in Eugene, Oregon, has built a reputation for resilience. But she insists this was a preventable crisis. “It took me months for me to speak about this. Thank you to everyone for the messages,” she wrote. “USOPC and USA Bobsled have a duty of care. I never want an athlete to experience what I did.”
Neither the USOPC nor USA Bobsled have publicly responded to Jones's accusations as of press time. Given the gravity of her claims—and the potential for a broader reckoning over athlete safety—this story is likely to develop further. For now, Jones's message is clear: she wants accountability, and she wants change.
As the sports world watches, Jones's fight may become a rallying cry for better protections in Olympic sports, much like the ongoing clash between MLB stars and the league over Olympic participation. Whether the USOPC and USA Bobsled will fire back remains to be seen.
