Coach suspended - abuse allegations

[Smith16]

http://abcnews.go.com/US/top-coach-suspended-decades-us-figure-skating-dismissed/story?id=53637051

 

[TontoK]

I saw this a few hours ago on Brennan's twitter feed.

I recall at the time that something was fishy about the USFSA's dismissal of the issue. The thought of a trusted authority figure abusing those he is charged to protect turns my stomach.

Of course, Callahan, like all individuals, is entitled to a presumption of innocence - but from Brennan's story, it seems other individuals have come forth now with additional information.

 

[cruzceleste]

Hopefully this wont grow to be as big as Nassar scandal.

 

[mrrice]

I remember this when it actually happened. It was a long time ago and they asked Todd about it and he stood by Callahan. Has Tara commented on this?

 

[cruzceleste]

I remember this when it actually happened. It was a long time ago and they asked Todd about it and he stood by Callahan. Has Tara commented on this?

Can you give any details of the accusation I can find specifics?

 

[mrrice]

Can you give any details of the accusation I can find specifics?

Here's an article from 1999, the year the scandal broke. He was suspended from coaching back then and I'm surprised this is coming up now. Has he done something new? I thought he was out of coaching. www.nytimes.com/1999/04/11/sports/f...ng-coach-is-accused-of-sexual-misconduct.html

 

[cruzceleste]

Here's an article from 1999, the year the scandal broke. He was suspended from coaching back then and I'm surprised this is coming up now. Has he done something new? I thought he was out of coaching. www.nytimes.com/1999/04/11/sports/f...ng-coach-is-accused-of-sexual-misconduct.html

Thank you. Boy looks like there was enough to support the allegation. He obviously groomed Maurizi. And the other students declaration.

 

[Haleth]

Another new article about this: https://thinkprogress.org/richard-callaghan-sexual-abuse-figure-skating-b288f35c2349/

On Friday, another popular U.S. Olympic sport was put under the microscope for its mishandling of sexual abuse complaints, when U.S. Figure Skating suspended coach Richard Callaghan following a suspension from the U.S. Center for SafeSport for allegations of sexual misconduct.

Callaghan —... was accused of sexual misconduct 19 years ago by his former pupil, Craig Maurizi.
...

Maurizi… filed a formal sexual misconduct complaint against Callaghan to the U.S. Figure Skating Association. However, the USFS dismissed the grievance just three months after it was filed because Maurizi did not report his grievance within 60 days of the misconduct, which was the rule at the time. Callaghan continued to coach until his suspension this week.

Justice was finally served, in a small way at least, because Maurizi brought the decades-old allegations to SafeSport’s attention earlier this year. Until recently, that hadn’t been an option.

But Safe Sport is still small:

"According to the Washington Post, the organization only has a full-time staff of nine people and four contract investigators to handle all reported allegations of abuse in Olympic sports. Their purview covers the 12 million athletes, coaches, and officials who work within the USOC system.

If Callaghan is the only figure skating coach assaulting skaters, I'll eat all my hats. That ugly truth, alongside eating disorders, needs to be exposed to sunlight to change the sport for the better. Moreover, Safe Sport needs more funds and a larger team to deal with a pernicious blight on sport. We may sorrow over the news that assault happens, but we owe it to the child and adult victims to bring their abusers to justice.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

Better late than never, I suppose. However, these things need to keep coming out because organizations must take these allegations seriously. So many times the alleged perpetrations have high profile character witnesses that defend their character and then the investigations seem to stop.

 

[brightphoton]

Did I time warp? I thought we kicked this guy to the curb a decade ago. Perhaps we're "lucky" to be in the #MeToo, #TimesUp, and post-gymnastics doctor era, and take sexual harassment and molestation (more) seriously, although not so lucky in that it took so long and so much to get here.

I remember Callahan used to coach Sasha Cohen too, but either I am misremembering or her Wikipedia page has been wiped of any mention of Callahan.

 

[LiamForeman]

"Another, Roman Fraden, then age 24, told the paper that Callaghan had “made inappropriate sexual remarks to him in 1994,” over which his parents had “confronted” the coach."

Does this not seem suspect and raise your smell-test alarm? A grown 24 y/o man was on the receiving end of inappropriate remarks to him by Richard, and he gets his PARENTS involved to confront Richard?!?!?!! What 24 y/o would do that? Could he not just say to Richard: "Richard, dude, that's gross and so are you. You might want it but you're never gonna get it. So just stop." It's also weird that Richard is basically HIS employee and this guy could just fire him and move on to another coach. Something stinks in suburbia, as they say. I do not see how this has anything to do with the Maurizi situation. Sorry.

 

[Tavi...]

"Another, Roman Fraden, then age 24, told the paper that Callaghan had “made inappropriate sexual remarks to him in 1994,” over which his parents had “confronted” the coach."

Does this not seem suspect and raise your smell-test alarm? A grown 24 y/o man was on the receiving end of inappropriate remarks to him by Richard, and he gets his PARENTS involved to confront Richard?!?!?!! What 24 y/o would do that? Could he not just say to Richard: "Richard, dude, that's gross and so are you. You might want it but you're never gonna get it. So just stop." It's also weird that Richard is basically HIS employee and this guy could just fire him and move on to another coach. Something stinks in suburbia, as they say. I do not see how this has anything to do with the Maurizi situation. Sorry.

You’re misreading. The article was published April 11, 1999. Fraden was 24 in 1999, not when the assault occurred in 1994. Depending on his birthday, he would have been 18-19 in 1994.

 

[SarahSynchro]

"Another, Roman Fraden, then age 24, told the paper that Callaghan had “made inappropriate sexual remarks to him in 1994,” over which his parents had “confronted” the coach."

Does this not seem suspect and raise your smell-test alarm? A grown 24 y/o man was on the receiving end of inappropriate remarks to him by Richard, and he gets his PARENTS involved to confront Richard?!?!?!! What 24 y/o would do that? Could he not just say to Richard: "Richard, dude, that's gross and so are you. You might want it but you're never gonna get it. So just stop." It's also weird that Richard is basically HIS employee and this guy could just fire him and move on to another coach. Something stinks in suburbia, as they say. I do not see how this has anything to do with the Maurizi situation. Sorry.

Speaking from personal experience as someone who was sexually assaulted in my 20s, I think it’s wonderful to have the support of your family in this situation, REGARDLESS of your age. Why are you shaming the victim? It’s not as simple as once you are the age of majority, you gain a magical ability to handle the stresses of a traumatic occurrence all on your own.

 

[Sasha'sSpins]

I vaguely remember the accusations in the late '90s against Callahan. IIRC Lipinski at the time never accused Callahan herself of any impropriety towards her but again my memories are rather vague for that time. I could be wrong.

 

[MIM]

''At the time, I thought the sex was consensual. Now, when I look back, I don't think it was consensual. I don't care how old a student is, whether it's a boy or a girl, a coach should never have sex with a student. The coach is the person the athlete looks up to for leadership and to be a role model. I don't think coaches understand the influence they can exert over students. People need to be more aware of this.''

Kudos to whoever stands up against the sexual predators. It is disgusting that Callahan found his notice online. USFS gives no comments and no reasons why and how this happened. Time and time again, they prove to be a very untrustworthy organization.

 

[Metis]

Speaking from personal experience as someone who was sexually assaulted in my 20s, I think it’s wonderful to have the support of your family in this situation, REGARDLESS of your age. Why are you shaming the victim? It’s not as simple as once you are the age of majority, you gain a magical ability to handle the stresses of a traumatic occurrence all on your own.

Amen.

From one statistic to another: I’m sorry we’re in the same club. It’s one I wish no one had to join.

I don’t have the energy to unpack why family support is necessary, how any kind of student-teacher relationship (which covers a coach-athlete one) automatically creates a power imbalance regardless of whether or not the student is a legal adult, and how the worst part of abuse often isn’t what’s done but lack of support. So I’m just really glad at least one case involved parents who believed the victim and intervened.

Unfortunately, I suspect we’re going to hear about far, far more victims. Sounds like a preferential offender let free by supervising authorities for decades. My heart hurts.

 

[el henry]

I'm still trying to unpack this, so let's see...

One of the skaters says he was a minor when sexual contact occurred. If he was under the age of consent in the state where it occurred, that is a crime. Nowadays, we have mandatory reporting laws (a very strict one in my state) and extended statute of limitations and other protections that could hopefully be invoked.

Above the age of consent, there is no crime, so technically, no one who was "let free" by "supervising authorities". What there *should* be (and is now, for almost every reputable organization) is professional consequences. No person in a position of authority toward another (teacher, coach, clergy person, medical professional) should, as a matter of ethics, engage in sexual contact with the person over whom they have authority. Never. They can, and should, lose their licensure, or employment, if they engaged in such activity. But they will in fact, if all parties are over the age of consent, run free, because they have committed no violation of criminal law.

Such a sad situation.

 

[SarahSynchro]

Amen.

From one statistic to another: I’m sorry we’re in the same club. It’s one I wish no one had to join.

I don’t have the energy to unpack why family support is necessary, how any kind of student-teacher relationship (which covers a coach-athlete one) automatically creates a power imbalance regardless of whether or not the student is a legal adult, and how the worst part of abuse often isn’t what’s done but lack of support. So I’m just really glad at least one case involved parents who believed the victim and intervened.

Unfortunately, I suspect we’re going to hear about far, far more victims. Sounds like a preferential offender let free by supervising authorities for decades. My heart hurts.

Big empathy hugs to you, along with any other GS user who has been in the same boat. I know more of you exist, and most may not feel comfortable enough to talk about their experiences here, but regardless, please know that I care, and am here for any of you who ever wish to talk.

Growing up as a child in the 1990s and early 2000s, whenever something like this happened in a school setting, teachers and administrators would almost always sweep it under the proverbial rug and forget about it. Between the ages of 7 and 17, I was a victim of verbal, physical and sexual bullying in several occasions as well; not from a coach or a teacher or school employee, mind you, but from other students. I was also very shy, introverted, reserved, emotional, battling social anxiety, and lacking in self esteem. Even the most confident, assertive person who is violated in any manner can be frightened of retaliating against their abuser, no matter their age. It doesn’t matter if you are 12 or 22, simply telling the abuser to stop is NOT easy, nor is always even possible.

For anyone reading this who thinks it’s ok to ask why a victim allowed the abuse to go on for so long, or why it’s taken them so long to report the crime(s) in the first place. I strongly suggest educating yourself on Stockholm syndrome, which is a good place to start, or any webpage devoted to domestic violence, which will explain with great detail the very common reasons that an abused spouse returns to their abuser time and time again.

 

[SarahSynchro]

I'm still trying to unpack this, so let's see...

One of the skaters says he was a minor when sexual contact occurred. If he was under the age of consent in the state where it occurred, that is a crime. Nowadays, we have mandatory reporting laws (a very strict one in my state) and extended statute of limitations and other protections that could hopefully be invoked.

Above the age of consent, there is no crime, so technically, no one who was "let free" by "supervising authorities". What there *should* be (and is now, for almost every reputable organization) is professional consequences. No person in a position of authority toward another (teacher, coach, clergy person, medical professional) should, as a matter of ethics, engage in sexual contact with the person over whom they have authority. Never. They can, and should, lose their licensure, or employment, if they engaged in such activity. But they will in fact, if all parties are over the age of consent, run free, because they have committed no violation of criminal law.

Such a sad situation.

If both parties are of the age of consent, it can still be considered a crime. Victims of sexual assault often tell their abusers no, but they are ignored, or they initially agree to a sexual act, change their minds midway, and ask the abuser to stop, but the abuser still carries on, etc. That’s still rape.

 

[andromache]

Did I time warp? I thought we kicked this guy to the curb a decade ago. Perhaps we're "lucky" to be in the #MeToo, #TimesUp, and post-gymnastics doctor era, and take sexual harassment and molestation (more) seriously, although not so lucky in that it took so long and so much to get here.

I remember Callahan used to coach Sasha Cohen too, but either I am misremembering or her Wikipedia page has been wiped of any mention of Callahan.

I think you are thinking of Jenny Kirk? She spent some time with him (I don't know how much - she went to all the big coaches at that time). I remember her talking on TSL about how annoying he was about making her get her hair done in a fairly overwrought and annoying style before competitions? I can't remember anything else specific, but she made him sound like a total control freak IIRC. It's been awhile though.

I vaguely remember the accusations in the late '90s against Callahan. IIRC Lipinski at the time never accused Callahan herself of any impropriety towards her but again my memories rather vague for that time. I could be wrong.

I feel like she left him right after getting OGM and they parted badly? Idk if I am remembering correctly though.