Ohio athlete’s Olympic dreams shattered after he says trainers sex trafficked him

TOLEDO, Ohio (WTVG) – He had Olympic dreams that were quickly shattered. An Ohio athlete is sharing his story about how he was sex trafficked by an organization that he thought would help launch him to the Olympic Games.

The athlete said he was able to make it out but his healing journey is still ongoing. Now, he is sharing his story.

John-Michael Lander was once a promising young diver. He placed at the Junior Olympics and said he was on his way to representing Team USA at the biggest sporting event in the world.

But, his journey imploded before it began.

“As a 14-year-old Olympic-bound athlete, the adults that were entrusted in my training abused me and trafficked me all four years of high school,” Lander said.

Lander said he signed a contract with an organization that promised to take him to the next level. But, it came with a cost that he never expected.

The training team and leaders sexually abused and sex trafficked him in exchange for top-class training, fancy trips and promises of realizing his Olympic dreams.

He did not know how to get out.

“It ended my Olympic journey. I never made it to the Olympic Games,” Lander said.

Lander shared his story at an event hosted by STARS (Standing Together Accomplishing Real Solutions). It’s a Toledo-based organization that empowers and helps people who have been sex trafficked.

“Trafficking is trafficking, it doesn’t matter where it’s at,” STARS founder Elesondra Deromano said.

Deromano invited Lander to speak to show that human trafficking can impact anyone including boys, men, and people from middle-class backgrounds.

“Our society doesn’t want to believe this can happen to men,” Lander said.

Lander said for a long time he did not know how to open up about what happened. He only recently started sharing his story after gaining the courage from seeing the women’s gymnastics team speak out about an abusive trainer.

“Ask for help. Don’t be afraid. Especially the males,” Lander said.

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