I do commend TSl for giving us, until someone else comes with better reporting, the best description of the inner workings of Safesport we have to date.
True and that's fine and good, except for the rambling and random way it was handled by Dave and his guest. There were also a lot of things said on that recent episode which only added to confusion and opened up new questions, e.g, how was/whether SafeSport able to determine that there is a pattern of behavior dating back 20 years, and how do they come to the conclusion that they have reliable corroborating evidence, particularly regarding incidents and events witnessed/ experienced/ recalled from a different time?
No matter how helpful DL's guest was trying to be, some of the conversation drifted into different areas that don't appear to be directly related to the allegation(s) against John Coughlin. Also, I wonder whether SafeSport approved of this guest presenting the information that she did about a case still under investigation (even though she tried to be circumspect on specifics). There was too much lumping in of tangential topics with her own personal topics and innuendo. I think it was inappropriate to make comparisons to convicted abusers, and especially to bring up Gordeeva & Grinkov in a disparaging way! That G&G fell in love in the 1980s while there was a four-year age difference between them and Katia was 16, has no specific bearing on any allegation being investigated by SafeSport in 2018-2019, nor on anything to do with John's death.
The overriding feeling I got from the latest TSL episode is that DL is concerned about defending the fact that he tweeted, posted and discussed the matter involving John Coughlin, without benefit of having any conclusive information. DL seems to thrive on dishing about sensationalist happenings (e.g., Gracie Gold's family situation at a time when she was struggling in her career). While anyone who feels victimized or who has been harmed in some way should be encouraged to speak out to ensure their safety and protection, the accused should not automatically be condemned and treated like a pariah either. As others have mentioned, there should be mechanisms in place serving as a safety net for all parties, in an effort to hopefully prevent any further avoidable situations occurring, especially a tragedy such as this. No matter what happened, all parties involved should be allowed the opportunity for help and for healing, for understanding and for mental health evaluation and counseling, so that no one has to struggle on their own reconnaissance with gossip swirling around.
DL and his guest brnging up the 'toxic culture' of figure skating, I think is a worthwhile topic for a separate discussion, but DL would need to stop being defensive and rambling in his coverage.
ETA: But then again, on second thought, DL is unlikely to be the right host to effectively address this topic since he himself appears to feed off of and contribute to the 'toxic culture' he presumes to decry. I also hope that if DL is so concerned about underage female skaters being mistreated, he will recognize that his own petty mocking and dismissive snarking toward skaters has been inappropriate rather than helpful or constructive, particularly toward young skaters like Starr Andrews (with her mother thrown in as well and accused of unproven/ misrepresented hearsay during the TSL Asian Open episode of last year).
I have to add that I despise the fact Dave Lease had the nerve to read out Dalilah Sappenfield's fb post in such a hateful, superior and disapproving tone. There is no reason for Lease, of all people, to get on a high horse about what a heartbroken friend of John Coughlin's has the right to express in her own way and in her own words.
