Journalists always have sources which they are allowed to keep confidential. They only need to make sure that the source is legitimate.
SafeSport investigating Peter Oppegard
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overedge
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Since the biting incident took place some time ago, Brennan could have been aware of that already, regardless of whether there was an active SafeSport complaint. And as @Aceon6 said earlier, it's impossible to put a gag order on an entire sport.
I would guess that since Brennan regularly writes stories about SafeSport investigations, people involved with investigations are likely to contact her, rather than the other way around.
Sparks
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Is this kind of like the SS investigation into John Coughlin in that if one researches SS you can find out who is being investigated?
I heard about the Coughlin "issue" here on FSU way before Christine Brennan reported on it.
I heard about the Coughlin "issue" here on FSU way before Christine Brennan reported on it.
Erin
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It’s possible that whoever told Safesport about the Pfund incident is the same person who told Brennan about it. Or it may not even be someone involved in the investigation - just a “I heard a rumour this happened and Jessica might be willing to talk about it, maybe you should talk to her.”
Since Brennan has done so many stories about abuse and figure skating lately, she probably gets a lot of tips. Many of those people may not be willing to go on record and lead to nothing but others might tip her off to someone else to talk to and she probably just keeps going until she gets someone who is willing to put themselves out there like the Pfunds did and she has enough for a story.
Since Brennan has done so many stories about abuse and figure skating lately, she probably gets a lot of tips. Many of those people may not be willing to go on record and lead to nothing but others might tip her off to someone else to talk to and she probably just keeps going until she gets someone who is willing to put themselves out there like the Pfunds did and she has enough for a story.
I do hope the individuals who contact Brennan are not on the Safe Sport team...as that would go against the Safe Sport code section on confidentiality. https://uscenterforsafesport.org/wp-content/uploads/2020/03/2020-SafeSport-Code-04.01.20.pdf
overedge
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Since skating is a gossipy sport, I wouldn't be surprised if Brennan hears about investigations from many sources other than Safe Sport employees.
BittyBug
Childless Cat Lady
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Already asked and answered in this thread. The individuals who are handling the complaint have confidentiality obligations, but anyone who has been interviewed about an allegation, who made an allegation themselves, or who witnessed the incident has no such gag order. It's the same way we find out about grand jury investigations - from those who are called to the grand jury to be interviewed. Members of the jury and counsel cannot publicly discuss the grand jury's proceedings, but anyone interviewed is entirely within their rights to do so, so the fact that it's being reported does not necessarily mean that confidences were broken.
ЭPiKUilyam
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Right??? I mean, I've seen some weird ass things in my life, but I've never worried about someone BITING another person! Did Oppegard think he was in a Chi Omega sorority house or something? Dude is missing some pretty major screws... This is just------- where do you go from there?!?! He shouldn't be around society in general, let alone teaching/biting young girls to skate. He's an animal.
Kateri
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Given the people muttering darkly about this being the tip of the iceberg, I am now expecting it to come out that he once unhinged his jaw and fully ate an entire child.
MacMadame
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I don't think we've seen any case where that happened. Even people who know a ton about what is going on in a particular investigation are careful what they share here, let alone to a reporter.
Frog Foot
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She has been involved with covering figure skating for many years now. I believe she is like many involved in the sport and hears about many issues that are like this one. She is careful from what I have seen to not offer up any libelous statements but deals with facts as they are available. I think she then contacts SafeSport for confirmation of sorts, not sure they tell her much other than there is an investigation.
overedge
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It's also worth noting this from Brennan's story:
He may not be allowed to make public comments as part of the SafeSport process, but at least he was given the opportunity to do so.
He may not be allowed to make public comments as part of the SafeSport process, but at least he was given the opportunity to do so.
You'd think he could at least say the generic "no comment" or the slightly less neutral "With the investigation, the truth behind these accusations will come out," or even "I'll await the results of the investigation before comment."
Yuri
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No, YOU are interpreting "hard to believe" to mean that I don't believe Jessica, and it's hard for me to understand how rumors of that incident didn't spread like wildfire. So outrageous, it's amazing it has been quashed on social media until now. Also, what I meant is that I've never heard of any person biting anyone in a sports situation at all, not just coach/student. Only one I remember is Mike Tyson biting Evander Holyfield and that was in a boxing match. Became a world famous event even mocked by late night TV hosts. And sure, if there are any double standards in treating rink owners hiring abusive coaches, I will point out hypocrisy.
No, my reasons for asking is that Peter was an acquaintance of mine and a coach/mentor/friend of my skating sibling around three decades ago. It's just so out of character of the behavior we witnessed from him for a decade plus, it's simply shocking to us. Of course you are going to ask why, especially during the initial shock and denial phase, when someone you know (or thought you knew) is accused of something so outrageous and you have only seen their calm and friendly side.
And this has been my main point in my more recent posts and almost everyone continues to sweep this under the rug. And please, no more lectures that only the SafeSport folks have confidentiality agreements, that's well understood. I'm sorry, but I still believe that Ms. Brennan suffered an ethical bypass at birth as she always goes for the most lurid and sensational angle during her career. Like a year ago when she dashed out of the men's final at US Nationals on Sunday afternoon to go on cable TV to trash Kobe Bryant for his long ago rumored sexual assault situation before his body was even cold from his tragic helicopter crash, when his wife with whom he had reconciled years ago was dealing with the loss of her husband and a daughter. Even some of her fellow sports journalists slammed Ms. Brennan on that giddy, disgusting reporting, and while sexual assault will always be a part of Kobe's legacy, there's a time and place for it. Like AFTER the funeral. But not if you're posing as a SJW. Maybe she's just trying to make up for some guilt for NOT reporting such abuse suspicions during the Tara and Michelle era.
This part I can agree with-- certainly people have a hard time coming to terms with things when someone's possible (in Oppegard's case) behavior comes to light. I think most people would be the same when it comes to personal connections or even people they look up to.
On the opposite end of the spectrum, there are keyboard warriors all over the place that are ready to jump on to the victim's side in every situation and/or pick whatever new social issue is prevalent today. [A huge note here is that if the victim is someone already not well-liked or someone that has been known to create controversy, then it's sometimes a different story]. Not every case in history has turned out to be a true story, so I try to always walk the line of keeping an open mind until all the facts come out.
The thing that I think sent you the wrong direction though is questioning what she was doing to deserve that. Personally, I think it would've been better to just say 'Man, that's so hard to believe for me, as I was around him all the time a few decades ago' and left it at that. If people want to trash you for such a sentiment, then whatever. They are no better for automatically assuming the worst every time, either IMO.
overedge
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@Yuri I understand that Oppegard has been your friend for a long time. But that doesn't mean he couldn't have done what he is accused of. A lot of abusers are very good at presenting a different facade to the world, which is why they are able to continue doing what they do. Because people say things like "he's such a nice person, I can't believe that he would do something that awful".
And however you feel about Brennan's reporting, it's been pointed out to you several times that what she reported in this story were facts. It's also not necessary to call her an SJW. The victims in this case deserve some justice.
And however you feel about Brennan's reporting, it's been pointed out to you several times that what she reported in this story were facts. It's also not necessary to call her an SJW. The victims in this case deserve some justice.
clairecloutier
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I had to look up what "SJW" meant. 
Japanfan
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What does it mean?I had to look up what "SJW" meant.
clairecloutier
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"Social justice warrior" Ummm ....
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Uh, no.
That was the main thing, but it wasn't posted in isolation, which I thought was totally clear from what I posted before.
But I'm just gonna sit back and
at Yuri playing the victim here, accusing other people of reading into his posts and interpreting what he means while he whines about how he thinks he is perceived, using language no one ever applied to him--but that's different, I am sure, because it's the rest of us who can't read.
Orm Irian
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As has been truly pointed out in other cases, abusers groom their defenders as well as their victims.
Vagabond
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Social justice warrior - Wikipedia
Lest we forget, the poster in question previously wrote about
Does anyone know whether the USFSA (a.k.a. US Figure Skating) still employs such trolls? Asking for a friend.
overedge
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Said poster also referred to "cancel culture" when posters disagreed with them.
MacMadame
Getting radicalized on YouTube
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It means "I'm an asshole who doesn't care about people's rights"
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