Cipres accused of sexual misconduct

[Daena]

Wtf wtf wtf

 

[feraina]

OMG. this is so bad. It’a going to affect a lot of careers, isn’t it? If not this season then certainly next season. And the lead up to the Olympics. Not just the comeback of J/C, but D/F and Aymoz. Who else is coached by them?

 

[SleepyShawn]

No words...I can’t believe I cheered for him.

If he’s guilty, let justice prevail ?

 

[Spiralgraph]

I didn't expect this. I'm saddened and disgusted. Let the truth come out completely and those who are guilty get prosecuted.

 

[Angela-Fan]

 

[canbelto]

Omg. How horrible. But I'm even sadder about Zimmerman and Fontana. They had a good reputation as coaches. So disappointed that they acted so callously. They all need to be suspended until further investigations.

 

[Orm Irian]

Who else is coached by them?

Mae-Berenice Meite. Hamon/Strekalin, I think.

If they had just done the right thing when the girl first disclosed abuse then not only the harm done to her and her rinkmate but also the collateral damage to those third parties would have been so much less.

 

[skatfan]

Horrible. I’m guessing lawyers for USA Today have looked into all of this soxthe broad outlines are most likely true.

Fontana and Zimmerman have violated their duties as coaches, surely there will be consequences. I cannot imagine Morgan and Cipres continuing to train in the US.

 

[Perky Shae Lynn]

OMG. Speechless. Very serious allegations.

 

[her grace]

Let’s see if SafeSport has any teeth, particularly regarding Zimmerman.

However, even if he was banned in the U.S., France or Italy might welcome Zimmerman and Fontana to coach there.

 

[muffinplus]

What the .... f. It's so hard to believe that of Zimmerman and Fontana (of course I don't know), but it's just shocking

 

[Daba]

I don’t believe it. Is he an idiot to send those pictures from his verified Instagram account?

 

[BittyBug]

Zimmerman and Fontana are mandatory reporters under SafeSport, so if they failed to report the incident, and further pressured the young lady not to report it further, their career in the US at least is toast, as it should be.

I hope the victim is receiving lots of support.

 

[happycamper2554]

I don’t believe it. Is he an idiot to send those pictures from his verified Instagram account?

I've always heard that If criminals were smart they'd be smart enough to not get caught.

 

[Colonel Green]

Fontana and Zimmerman have violated their duties as coaches, surely there will be consequences. I cannot imagine Morgan and Cipres continuing to train in the US.

I can't imagine them continuing to train, period. Even if Vanessa herself doesn't terminate the partnership on the spot (which I dearly hope she does), they'd be a scandal every time they set foot on the ice.

Morgan is more likely to be watching the Beijing team event from a Florida prison than he is to be participating in it.

 

[MsZem]

This isn’t an issue of someone’s complaint being taken seriously. There are photos.

If USA Today is right about that, Cipres could conceivably try to argue that someone else sent them from his account and/or that they're not pictures of him. But the "I was hacked" defense would not be a very persuasive one.

The one person not mentioned in all this mess so far is Vanessa James, and I hope she had no part in it whatsoever.

 

[firstflight]

If they had just done the right thing when the girl first disclosed abuse then not only the harm done to her and her rinkmate but also the collateral damage to those third parties would have been so much less.

Yes, but I think even this is an understatement. They aren’t described as passively not reporting. They’re described as actively deploying psychological pressure (she will be shamed on social media; the French fans will be mad at her) to keep her frightened enough to not say anything herself. And if true, it worked, as the girl refused to say anything to the police.

 

[SpeedySucks]

Why on earth would an adult coach try to bribe a 13 year old with pizza to dare her to ask Cipres for photos of his privates?

I can only assume that Dispenza wanted to see the photos and somehow thought that this was the best way to get them. It makes me wonder what else Morgan has done if Dispenza thought that he would be willing to send nude pics to a 13 year old girl.

This is horrifying - I hope the girl is getting the psychological help she needs and that all involved will be punished to the maximum extent possible.

 

[skatfan]

Yes, but I think even this is an understatement. They aren’t described as passively not reporting. They’re described as actively deploying psychological pressure (she will be shamed on social media; the French fans will be mad at her) to keep her frightened enough to not say anything herself. And if true, it worked, as the girl refused to say anything to the police.

One could even argue obstruction of justice.

 

[Orm Irian]

Why on earth would an adult coach try to bribe a 13 year old with pizza to dare her to ask Cipres for photos of his privates?

This is like some kind of horror show truth or dare. Astonishingly immature and sinister at the same time.

It's called grooming. There seems to be more than one abuser in this situation.

 

[hanca]

Let’s see if SafeSport has any teeth, particularly regarding Zimmerman.

However, even if he was banned in the U.S., France or Italy might welcome Zimmerman and Fontana to coach there.

France or Italy may welcome them to coach there, but if you were a parent of a young girl, would you want your child to be coached by them after reading this?

 

[Viscaro]

I guess Cipres biggest defence could be that he was tricked into a sinister joke by Dispenza. That he send a dick pick pic to an random number who asked him for nudes without knowing she was a 13 yo girl (and he would have to prove that he did not know and could not know that fact). That defence is the most optimistic scenario for him and could prevent him from facing criminal charges, but he would still look like a dumbass enough for his career to be over.
Pressuring a 13 yo not to report an incident is another serious matter that need a convincing explanation.

 

[Colonel Green]

Pressuring a 13 yo not to report an incident is another serious matter that need a convincing explanation.

There really isn't any exculpatory explanation they could give other than "that didn't happen", because they are unquestionably required to report incidents like this.

 

[zebraswan]

France or Italy may welcome them to coach there, but if you were a parent of a young girl, would you want your child to be coached by them after reading this?

Karel Fafjr still has a coaching career...

 

[BittyBug]

France or Italy may welcome them to coach there, but if you were a parent of a young girl, would you want your child to be coached by them after reading this?

Don’t people still train with Fajfr? Rational thought does not always prevail.

ETA: Jinx @zebraswan.

 

[skatfan]

I guess Cipres biggest defence could be that he was tricked into a sinister joke by Dispenza. That he send a dick pick pic to an random number who asked him for nudes without knowing she was a 13 yo girl (and he would have to prove that he did not know and could not know that fact). That defence is the most optimistic scenario for him and could prevent him from facing criminal charges, but he would still look like a dumbass enough for his career to be over.
Pressuring a 13 yo not to report an incident is another serious matter that need a convincing explanation.

And apparently Dispenza is still at the rink? Wtf?

 

[giselle23]

If USA Today is right about that, Cipres could conceivably try to argue that someone else sent them from his account and/or that they're not pictures of him. But the "I was hacked" defense would not be a very persuasive one.

The one person not mentioned in all this mess so far is Vanessa James, and I hope she had no part in it whatsoever.

This happened two years ago. If he was hacked, I'm sure he would have been able to explain that by now. (Does anyone ever believe the "I was hacked" defense? )

 

[firstflight]

I guess Cipres biggest defence could be that he was tricked into a sinister joke by Dispenza. That he send a dick pick pic to an random number who asked him for nudes without knowing she was a 13 yo girl (and he would have to prove that he did not know and could not know that fact). That defence is the most optimistic scenario for him and could prevent him from facing criminal charges, but he would still look like a dumbass enough for his career to be over.
Pressuring a 13 yo not to report an incident is another serious matter that need a convincing explanation.

It was Instagram though. Without getting into the very specifics of how to send pics in a private chat in that app, I’ll just say that you can’t not know who is receiving the pic.

 

[Stormy]

I guess Cipres biggest defence could be that he was tricked into a sinister joke by Dispenza. That he send a dick pick pic to an random number who asked him for nudes without knowing she was a 13 yo girl (and he would have to prove that he did not know and could not know that fact). That defence is the most optimistic scenario for him and could prevent him from facing criminal charges, but he would still look like a dumbass enough for his career to be over.
Pressuring a 13 yo not to report an incident is another serious matter that need a convincing explanation.

But he didn't send it to a number, he DM'ed it on Instgram to her. You can't do that without knowing exactly who you're sending it to. It's not anonymous. Your scenario isn't possible.

 

[Colonel Green]

It was Instagram though. Without getting into the very specifics of how to send pics in a private chat in that app, I’ll just say that you can’t not know who is receiving the pic.

It would depend on the other person's username, etc. if he could argue that he didn't know who it was.

Not that I believe that. But that's his only possible out.