Callaghan suspended over sexual abuse allegations

[overedge]

Maybe I am not remembering correctly what Maurizi said, but I thought he claimed that USFS offered him a position on a new committee that they would create if he wanted to chair it. So the blah-blah in the USFS statement about there not being any such committee is really avoiding the issue.

 

[CaliSteve]

Maybe I am not remembering correctly what Maurizi said, but I thought he claimed that USFS offered him a position on a new committee that they would create if he wanted to chair it. So the blah-blah in the USFS statement about there not being any such committee is really avoiding the issue.

Yup that is correct.

U.S. Figure Skating rocked: Suit against Richard Callaghan alleges sexual abuse, and accusation emerges of attempt to silence skater

Suit against Olympic skating coach Richard Callaghan and an accusation of attempt to silence an alleged sexual abuse victim rock U.S. Figure Skating.

www.usatoday.com

 

[overedge]

USFS needs to stop digging themselves in deeper. Throwing Maurizi under the bus isn't going to solve their problems or improve their image. Doesn't the USOC have a crisis communications agency they can refer NGBs to?

Seriously. There's lots of questionable assertions in the USFS statement, but this one is just straight-up BS.

At the meeting, Patricia St. Peter, as a spokesperson for U.S. Figure Skating SafeSport efforts, reiterated to Mr. Maurizi that by coming forward to U.S. Figure Skating with his case in 1999, he made a major impact on athlete safety within U.S. Figure Skating.

USFS told him to get stuffed in 1999, because he didn't file his grievance within the time limits set out in the grievance policy - even though he presented legitimate reasons why the time limits should be overridden, e.g. that he feared repercussions for his career by coming forward sooner.

The "major impact on athlete safety" that event had IMO was to send the implicit message that USFS was going to find reasons to ignore complaints against powerful people in the sport, so don't bother complaining.

 

[Sylvia]

UPDATE (1.5 years later) on Adam Schmidt's case:

US Figure Skating pays $1.45 million to settle sexual abuse claims by former skater

U.S. Figure Skating has agreed to pay a former competitive skater $1.45 million to settle his lawsuit against the national governing body.

abcnews.go.com

U.S. Figure Skating has agreed to pay a former competitive skater $1.45 million to settle his lawsuit accusing the national governing body of being negligent in its duty to protect young athletes from sexual abuse by an allegedly predatory coach.
Adam Schmidt alleged that he suffered “numerous sexual assaults” by Richard Callaghan while training in his stable of skaters as a teenager in the years after the federation dismissed prior allegations of sexual abuse against the famed coach.

According to the terms of settlement agreement, a copy of which was obtained by ABC News, U.S. Figure Skating and its insurer agreed to the million-dollar-plus payment but “enter[ed] into this Agreement making no admissions of fault, liability, wrongdoing or misconduct of any kind, and no admissions as to the validity of any the claims or defenses in the Action.”
But, Schmidt said, the payout sends a clear message.
“I think the settlement speaks for itself,” Schmidt told ABC News. “People don’t settle things for millions of dollars for nothing.”

 

[Frau Muller]

UPDATE (1.5 years later) on Adam Schmidt's case:

US Figure Skating pays $1.45 million to settle sexual abuse claims by former skater

U.S. Figure Skating has agreed to pay a former competitive skater $1.45 million to settle his lawsuit against the national governing body.

abcnews.go.com

Justice. Interesting timing, during Nationals.

 

[casken]

I'm happy for him, but this "No acknowledgement of wrongdoing" stuff always eats away at me.

 

[Lacey]

I'm happy for him, but this "No acknowledgement of wrongdoing" stuff always eats away at me.

And that's why it is still going round and round, although I believe that Richard Callaghan was forced into retirement, finally, at least.

 

[alchemy void]

And that's why it is still going round and round, although I believe that Richard Callaghan was forced into retirement, finally, at least.

Interestingly enough, per the ABC article, Callaghan also recently declared bankruptcy. What a shame.

 

[skatfan]

I'm happy for him, but this "No acknowledgement of wrongdoing" stuff always eats away at me.

Yeah, but paying out almost $1.5 million is sure to get the insurer and US Figure Skating's attention.

 

[barbk]

NYT article: https://www.nytimes.com/2021/01/14/...ml?action=click&module=Latest&pgtype=Homepage
(Though the abcnews article is more comprehensive.)

 

[livetoskate]

Just a little commentary on the news:

https://youtu.be/zBjBKivXRJo