SafeSport investigating Peter Oppegard

Judy

Well-Known Member
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5,527
Does anyone else wonder how Ms Brennan becomes privy to Safe Sport investigations?

These investigations are supposed to be confidential until the information is posted on the SafeSport website, not just to protect all parties involved, but also to protect the quality of the investigations. The Pfunds state that Ms Brennan reached out to their family for information, so she knew that there was an ongoing investigation and that Pfunds could contribute to her article.
Journalists always have sources which they are allowed to keep confidential. They only need to make sure that the source is legitimate.
 

overedge

Mayor of Carrot City
Messages
35,799
Does anyone else wonder how Ms Brennan becomes privy to Safe Sport investigations?

These investigations are supposed to be confidential until the information is posted on the SafeSport website, not just to protect all parties involved, but also to protect the quality of the investigations. The Pfunds state that Ms Brennan reached out to their family for information, so she knew that there was an ongoing investigation and that Pfunds could contribute to her article.

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.
 

Erin

Banned Member
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10,472
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.
 

B.Cooper

Well-Known Member
Messages
538
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.
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

Mayor of Carrot City
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35,799

BittyBug

Disgusted
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26,612
Does anyone else wonder how Ms Brennan becomes privy to Safe Sport investigations?

These investigations are supposed to be confidential until the information is posted on the SafeSport website, not just to protect all parties involved, but also to protect the quality of the investigations. The Pfunds state that Ms Brennan reached out to their family for information, so she knew that there was an ongoing investigation and that Pfunds could contribute to her article.
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

Banned Member
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1,333
I just can’t get over the mental picture of a grown man grabbing someone’s arm and taking a bite. That makes him sound schizophrenic or on hallucinogens.
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

void beast
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6,544
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.
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

Doing all the things
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58,289

Frog Foot

New Member
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7
Does anyone else wonder how Ms Brennan becomes privy to Safe Sport investigations?

These investigations are supposed to be confidential until the information is posted on the SafeSport website, not just to protect all parties involved, but also to protect the quality of the investigations. The Pfunds state that Ms Brennan reached out to their family for information, so she knew that there was an ongoing investigation and that Pfunds could contribute to her article.
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

Mayor of Carrot City
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35,799
It's also worth noting this from Brennan's story:

Oppegard did not respond Wednesday and Thursday to emails and voicemails on his cell phone requesting comment.

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.
 

Willin

Well-Known Member
Messages
2,598
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.

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

Well-Known Member
Messages
813
Ah, but you like context, IIRC. The owner of the rink was notified of the Cipres incident and gave a statement:

“I think there’s a situation with a young girl, a 13-year-old at that time, very disturbing social media situations out there of things that this girl that I’ve heard say about people,” Zimmermann said. “I think she’s dangerous as hell, I think the girl is dangerous. This girl was in our building. … The parents were told that she probably needs some supervision.”

Thus making it overtly clear he was part of the problem.


Let's see:

Christine Brennan's reporting is not to be trusted.
The alleged biting story is hard to believe and doesn't make sense.
What is the context of the biting story? Because animals only bite in self defense and pair elements are dangerous.

I don't think anyone here needs reading lessons.
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.

@Yuri you are blaming the victim if you keep asking for context as to why the bite happened. These are not the questions that no one else dares ask; no one else is asking them because they're irrelevant. What happened was wrong.
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.
Does anyone else wonder how Ms Brennan becomes privy to Safe Sport investigations?

These investigations are supposed to be confidential until the information is posted on the SafeSport website, not just to protect all parties involved, but also to protect the quality of the investigations. The Pfunds state that Ms Brennan reached out to their family for information, so she knew that there was an ongoing investigation and that Pfunds could contribute to her article.
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.
 

tony

Throwing the (rule)book at them
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17,679
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.
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

Mayor of Carrot City
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35,799
@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.
 

Prancer

Chitarrista
Staff member
Messages
56,079
No, YOU are interpreting "hard to believe" to mean that I don't believe Jessica
Uh, no.
The thing that I think sent you the wrong direction though is questioning what she was doing to deserve that.
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 :lol: 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

Well-Known Member
Messages
1,691
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".
As has been truly pointed out in other cases, abusers groom their defenders as well as their victims. :(
 

Vagabond

Well-Known Member
Messages
25,385
What does it mean?

"Social justice warrior" Ummm ....
Social justice warrior (SJW) is a pejorative term for an individual who promotes socially progressive views, including feminism, civil rights, and multiculturalism.[1][2][3] The accusation that somebody is an SJW carries implications that they are pursuing personal validation rather than any deep-seated conviction, and engaging in disingenuous arguments.
Lest we forget, the poster in question previously wrote about
my time as a USFSA official
Does anyone know whether the USFSA (a.k.a. US Figure Skating) still employs such trolls? Asking for a friend. :shuffle:
 

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