Ivan Desyatov suspended by SafeSport

[4everchan]

The article has been very well summarised by figureskatingandrainbows, but I just wanted to add that Mediapart is quite well established in France as a serious media, that has been one of the most prominent in the country to investigate and report cases of sexual abuse in various spheres (#MeToo of course, or more recently they've been the first news source to uncover some very nasty stuff about French YouTubers, publishing a big piece with many victims' testimonies and thorough investigation). I don't often read their articles (or read articles at all per se) but from the little I know they are considered a very credible, if politically oriented, source, especially on such cases.

Solène's testimony is truly horrifying, all my thoughts go to her, I hope she can heal from this trauma and anyone who's been involved in her misery gets punished.

Thank you for telling us about Mediapart.

 

[IceDancingQueen]

Even then, if it were me. I don’t know that my first thought would be safe sport, it would likely be to someone at USFS or maybe ISU since each country is likely to have their own version of safe sport?

ETA: obviously not reporting something of this nature is very serious, I just question, how would anyone really know who the correct person to report this too is? So for me this illustrates how important it is that the ISU get something in place for this type of thing as the organizing committee.

They will know what processes are in play for each competing nation and where to direct people who report.

Completely agree there need to be clear guidelines in place and it’s completely shocking that in 2024, the ISU hasn’t done this already…I will be so disappointed if MFD really didn’t report this anywhere.

 

[Karoltyna]

I found translated screenshots on the Internet, so I can summarize here, but content warning: the article is quite graphic with its description of the sexual assault. I won't be nearly as graphic here, but it's still a lot.

Solène states that she was at dinner at Golden Spin with a lot of other skaters, and went back home accompanied by Holly Harris and Ivan Desyatov. She took a very strong sleeping pill due to her difficulties with sleeping after her brain injury, after which Holly and Ivan left her room. She later woke up to Ivan sexually assaulting her - apparently, he admitted to it to her in private messages. She confided this event to her mother and to Marie-France Dubreuil, her coach, who said that she would report it to SafeSport and the Team USA leaders, since Ivan is a USA skater. The newspaper reached out to Marie-France over whether she made this report, but did not receive a direct answer. The newspaper reports that the only report made to SafeSport was sent by Solène herself on the 26th September of this year, which was made ten days after Solène posted on her Instagram that she was a victim of sexual assault. Solène filed a police report in April 2024 in France for rape committed on a vulnerable person, as Ivan allegedly knew that she was taking a very strong medication for sleeping. She finishes up the article by stating the extreme emotional toll this has taken on her - not only did she not receive support from her coaches and federations, both French and Estonian, but she had to put her career on hold because she was struggling so much while Ivan was able to continue to compete. She still suffers from nightmares, and states that when she goes out in the street, she feels as though someone is following her.

USFS states "All individuals, regardless of membership with U.S. Figure Skating, are encouraged to report suspected SafeSport violations to U.S. Figure Skating. Participants are required to report suspected child abuse and/or sexual misconduct to the U.S. Center for SafeSport (or to U.S. Figure Skating) and local law enforcement. There are no fees for filing a SafeSport report with the U.S. Center for SafeSport or U.S. Figure Skating." All coaches participating in USFS events must be SafeSport compliant, "Coaches with athletes at ALL sanctioned events: Tests (including virtual), non-qualifying competitions, qualifying competitions, travel with Team USA, etc., must meet the requirements listed in the table..." which includes SafeSport training. Since IAM coaches participate in USFS events like Nationals and travel with Team USA to events, the coaches there should all be SafeSport certified and thus are mandatory reporters. You can read more about USFS Safesport here and Coach Requirements here.

This is beyond disgusting

 

[Kris135]

I am horrified that this happened her.what worse is that no one helped her or reported the assault. The victim had to do it. I will say again that National SafeSport organizations are not enough the ISU needs to create their own because too many skaters are getting hurt and there is no place for them to turn to. They have to hope that their coach will report the assault. Skaters need more direct help if they are being hurt. The ISU needs to create a hotline so skaters can get some help if needed because obviously the coaches and the officials are not willing to help the skaters needs somebody who will.

 

[saine]

The ISU does have a Safeguarding page, where contact information is given to make reports.

Athlete Safeguarding

The International Skating Union is the international sport federation administering Ice Skating sports throughout the world.

current.isu.org

Reporting is covered in article 7 of the 2024 Code of Ethics - https://current.isu.org/inside-isu/...munications/33974-isu-communication-2641/file

 

[DancingCactus]

? Of course the victim had to report the assault themselves. Noone is more responsible for them that they themselves.

Still, there either seems to be a piece of missing information or MFD promised to help but didn't. Which would be shitty.

 

[Ziotic]

The ISU does have a Safeguarding page, where contact information is given to make reports.

Athlete Safeguarding

The International Skating Union is the international sport federation administering Ice Skating sports throughout the world.

current.isu.org

Reporting is covered in article 7 of the 2024 Code of Ethics - https://current.isu.org/inside-isu/...munications/33974-isu-communication-2641/file

So based on this, MFD should have reported it to someone at ISU, therefore there would t be a safe sport filling unless someone from ISU did so.

 

[saine]

So based on this, MFD should have reported it to someone at ISU, therefore there would t be a safe sport filling unless someone from ISU did so.

I have absolutely no idea if she would have reported it to them, it is an option at least. I'm not sure how often reports are made to them, it's hard to find the information and they didn't talk about safe sport filings to the ISU at the Congress as far as I can remember.

 

[Kris135]

? Of course the victim had to report the assault themselves. Noone is more responsible for them that they themselves.

Still, there either seems to be a piece of missing information or MFD promised to help but didn't. Which would be shitty.

Honestly I was not talking the police I was talking about the SafeSport organizations that have power to ban someone. The reason that I think the ISU has to do something about this is that the National SafeSport can take years to actually take action against someone.Thankifully in this case it was not years but in many cases it takes that long. Also there is nothing to stop a skater from switching countries if they are banned by a country. Girls in pairs and ice dance are extremely vulnerable to being abused because of the close relationship that you need to have to be successful. I feel that the ISU could take the lead and say that certain behaviors will not be tolerated and ban certain people from competing until either they clear their name or the National SafeSport organization bans them and the ISU could ban them from competing in any ISU events so the country switching that has been done in the past. The culture of silence needs to broken no one should have suffer in silence and have to face their abuser while the case working through the system. Skaters need to be protected and the ISU could do far more than putting up a couple of links if skaters have issues. They need to take action and sooner the better it is done the better off and everyone would be.

 

[Ziotic]

Honestly I was not talking the police I was talking about the SafeSport organizations that have power to ban someone. The reason that I think the ISU has to do something about this is that the National SafeSport can take years to actually take action against someone.Thankifully in this case it was not years but in many cases it takes that long. Also there is nothing to stop a skater from switching countries if they are banned by a country. Girls in pairs and ice dance are extremely vulnerable to being abused because of the close relationship that you need to have to be successful. I feel that the ISU could take the lead and say that certain behaviors will not be tolerated and ban certain people from competing until either they clear their name or the National SafeSport organization bans them and the ISU could ban them from competing in any ISU events so the country switching that has been done in the past. The culture of silence needs to broken no one should have suffer in silence and have to face their abuser while the case working through the system. Skaters need to be protected and the ISU could do far more than putting up a couple of links if skaters have issues. They need to take action and sooner the better it is done the better off and everyone would be.

Slightly off topic, but just another reason why ice dance/pairs in junior should have age gaps no more than 3-4 years

 

[yyzskater]

Slightly off topic, but just another reason why ice dance/pairs in junior should have age gaps no more than 3-4 years

THIS Extending pairs to 23 for the MEN in Juniors with the 7 year rule still means a 16 year old could be partnered with a 23 year old...

 

[yyzskater]

If any reporting on this assault was made by anyone at all, he should have been banned from competitions immediately. Putting other skaters on the competition circuit at risk from a sexual predator is completely irresponsible, especially when there are minors at the comps.

 

[spincircles]

? Of course the victim had to report the assault themselves. Noone is more responsible for them that they themselves.

Still, there either seems to be a piece of missing information or MFD promised to help but didn't. Which would be shitty.

Yeah, what is puzzling is that she lodged police report in France instead of Croatia in April 2024 (and also didn't lodge with safesport in April but only in sep) when the Croatia police and safesport is better placed with resources and jurisdiction to investigate. Not sure how french police can go into another country to gather evidence like hotel cctv footage.

 

[lariko]

My 'knowledge' comes from FBI international, so take it with a grain of salt, but they had an episode with one of EE countries, and roofies-related SA was basically impossible to prosecute there, so it may have been a factor. Different criminal codexes interpret consent differently and in too many countries it is way, way too lenient. God only knows why obtaining a loud, clear and enthusiastic consent prior is such a hard concept to grasp for some...

 

[Kris135]

Slightly off topic, but just another reason why ice dance/pairs in junior should have age gaps no more than 3-4 years

I agree. I think a good standard to go by is would a coach be comfortable if the pair starts dating each other. This happens in many cases and would good rule to go by. Let's say a 15 year old girl starts dating her 17 year old pairs partner almost no one would be worried or care for that matter. But some of these huge age gaps are crazy.A 14 year old and 21 year old should never be put together it just asks for trouble if something happens. There was a 15 year old paired with a man in mid 20's. I do not think that pair ever completed thank goodness. Also we still have a senior pair where a 17 year old girl was paired with a 31 year man. Even if this is legal and acceptable you do wonder about the power dynamic if they do not agree on something. If we have go to these lengths to put together partnerships then maybe we need to try to widen the pool of age appropriate partners, mainly boys, so we do not have do this anymore. Also strongly encourage the men to look at older experienced women partners before looking down the age ladder for the girls please.

 

[lariko]

Let's say a 15 year old girl starts dating her 17 year old pairs partner almost no one would be worried or care for that matter.

There are many jurisdictions where this would land a person in jail. Age of consent is different across board, and Romeo-and-Juliette clause is not applicable everywhere. So, for nobody to really care, it has to be 18+ with a clear, loud, unimpecheable consent and no evidence of grooming. The partnerships below that age need to maintain a strictly professional relationship.

 

[Kris135]

There are many jurisdictions where this would land a person in jail. Age of consent is different across board, and Romeo-and-Juliette clause is not applicable everywhere. So, for nobody to really care, it has to be 18+ with a clear, loud, unimpecheable consent and no evidence of grooming. The partnerships below that age need to maintain a strictly professional relationship.

I agree about trying to keep things professional but we also talking about teenagers here. Almost every highschool in America has teenagers in these types of relationships and have not seen a wave of arrests because almost no one cares because who would you go after. At least 10 percent of student body are in these types relationships where one is technically above the age of consent and the other one is under. Also a large number of these relationships are romantic but are not intimate yet so what would you prosecute here.The issue is when you have to extreme age gaps between partners where if girl is being abused she has fewer ways to get out of what is happening because she one that has much less power than he does and at least one case it had tragic consequences so if we could prevent this from ever happening again why shouldn't we try.to do so.

 

[lariko]

I agree about trying to keep things professional but we also talking about teenagers here. Almost every highschool in America has teenagers in these types of relationships and have not seen a wave of arrests because almost no one cares because who would you go after. At least 10 percent of student body are in these types relationships where one is technically above the age of consent and the other one is under. Also a large number of these relationships are romantic but are not intimate yet so what would you prosecute here.The issue is when you have to extreme age gaps between partners where if girl is being abused she has fewer ways to get out of what is happening because she one that has much less power than he does and at least one case it had tragic consequences so if we could prevent this from ever happening again why shouldn't we try.to do so.

Holding hands doesn't concern anyone.

 

[Skating91]

I agree. I think a good standard to go by is would a coach be comfortable if the pair starts dating each other. This happens in many cases and would good rule to go by. Let's say a 15 year old girl starts dating her 17 year old pairs partner almost no one would be worried or care for that matter. But some of these huge age gaps are crazy.A 14 year old and 21 year old should never be put together it just asks for trouble if something happens. There was a 15 year old paired with a man in mid 20's. I do not think that pair ever completed thank goodness. Also we still have a senior pair where a 17 year old girl was paired with a 31 year man. Even if this is legal and acceptable you do wonder about the power dynamic if they do not agree on something. If we have go to these lengths to put together partnerships then maybe we need to try to widen the pool of age appropriate partners, mainly boys, so we do not have do this anymore. Also strongly encourage the men to look at older experienced women partners before looking down the age ladder for the girls please.

One fed put a 14 year old with a 21 year old, that team was broken up due to the increase in the age limit, then this fed had the temerity to demand the age limit be lowered so this pair could continue to skate together. Unbelievable! This says everything you need to know about the mentality.

 

[spincircles]

One fed put a 14 year old with a 21 year old, that team was broken up due to the increase in the age limit, then this fed had the temerity to demand the age limit be lowered so this pair could continue to skate together. Unbelievable! This says everything you need to know about the mentality.

Good question of why older guys don't go for more age appropriate partners - there's a general shortage of guys. Who knows, it could be that they are trying to compete on junior level as age is tagged to the girl rather than at senior level where it is way more competitive.