Former figure skater says she was abused by partner who killed himself

Mathman · May 22, 2019

Articles like this one make it clear that we are not ever going to hear anything from SafeSport about this particular case. Whatever we think of Christine Brennan's reporting, I think we can assume that the actual quotes from SafeSport officials are accurate. Evidently the USFSA has pressed SafeSport for some sort of resolution but SafeSport has resolutely said, we don't investigate dead people -- shove off, USFSA.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/spor...re-grooming-abuse-probe-safesport/3053528002/

theharleyquinn · May 22, 2019

It's important to keep in mind that this is a sport involving a large number of minors, often as single skaters working one-on-one with coaches/staff and often as part of pairs with sizable age differences. It's hard enough to capture all instances of assault and abuse happening to young adults within the American university system, so I worry about how the unique demographics and day-to-day dynamics of a sport like this one may lead to abuse slipping through the cracks because minors don't and/or can't report. SafeSport can and should be doing a lot more, and regardless of whether anyone thinks the investigation into Coughlin should continue to hold him accountable specifically, it would be worth it to look into whether anyone else knew what was going on so that both SafeSport and USFSA can put better procedures in place. This case alone isn't going to indicate whether there's a culture of abuse in the sport, but how it's being handled suggests that there's a culture of silence on the issue, and that's not good either. Dare I say, it's inexcusable given what's happened with USA Gymnastics.

el henry · May 22, 2019

SafeSports' mandate is to ensure the safety of its athletes.

The athletes are now safe from John Coughlin, assuming arguendo they were in any danger.

If athletes present complaints with regard to the organization's failure to report, the failure to ensure safety of athletes from an organization, then Safe Sport should investigate.

Otherwise, if I were at Safe Sport, I too would say, "I'm very sorry, but we don't conduct sua sponte investigations, and there's the end of our involvement". It says *nothing* about the culture, and everything about the process. :think:

theharleyquinn · May 22, 2019

el henry said:
SafeSports' mandate is to ensure the safety of its athletes.

The athletes are now safe from John Coughlin, assuming arguendo they were in any danger.

If athletes present complaints with regard to the organization's failure to report, the failure to ensure safety of athletes from an organization, then Safe Sport should investigate.

Otherwise, if I were at Safe Sport, I too would say, "I'm very sorry, but we don't conduct sua sponte investigations, and there's the end of our involvement". It says *nothing* about the culture, and everything about the process. :think:

I agree that if I were SafeSport and trying to minimize any liability or additional legwork stemming from this individual case, I'd do exactly what you describe.

Nonetheless, the process is arguably a reflection of the culture.

karne · May 22, 2019

el henry said:
SafeSports' mandate is to ensure the safety of its athletes.

The athletes are now safe from John Coughlin, assuming arguendo they were in any danger.

This argument leaves me uncomfortable.

Coughlin chose to end the investigation in just about the worst way possible: a way that gives no-one any closure and ensured there would be a huge backlash against the victims.

If anything...it could be viewed as one final act of control, one final act of abuse.

CellarDweller · May 22, 2019

drivingmissdaisy said:
I found this extremely disturbing:

Tara Modlin, who was Coughlin’s agent, sent a text message Monday evening in response to a request for comment: “It seems that you want me to comment on an unstable persons (sic) Facebook comment – I don’t really understand your question. … my suggestion is to call some of his other partners …”

Attacking an alleged victim as "unstable" is disgusting, especially when her experience was similar to what happened to a few other alleged victims. That there are other partners who had a positive experience with him is sort of meaningless.

And the sad part about that is Tara Modlin is married to Craig Maurizi, a man who made allegations against Richard Callahan. So she supports her husband and his allegations, but calls the woman who had the courage to come forward and make her allegations "unstable".

Stay classy, Tara.

CellarDweller · May 22, 2019

Andrea82 said:
Especially since Modlin is Craig Maurizi's wife and Maurizi has been accusing Richard Callaghan of having abused him for decades. Therefore, she should know how difficult these situations are emotionally. If she doesn't believe her, there are other ways to express it, like "I am surprised to learn these comments. My experience with him is totally different and his other partners didn't have any problems as you can find out if you contact them".

I posted my post above before I came across yous, Andrea! Didn't mean to restate what you had said!

Sorry everyone!

Mathman · May 22, 2019

I have the feeling that something will be coming to a (legal) head before long. It seems like SafeSport and the USFSA already are adopting somewhat adversarial positions instead of getting on the same page. Big law firms do not waste their time whistling Dixie.

TontoK · May 23, 2019

Mathman said:
I have the feeling that something will be coming to a (legal) head before long. It seems like SafeSport and the USFSA already are adopting somewhat adversarial positions instead of getting on the same page. Big law firms do not waste their time whistling Dixie.

It seems to me that USFSA is trying to pass the buck. Is there anything stopping them from conducting their own investigation? I thought SafeSport's sole mandate was to protect athletes from abusive situations. Coughlin is dead, whether he was guilty or innocent, he's not a threat now.

I'm not much for conspiracies, well mainly I'm not, but could USFSA be afraid to open that Pandora's Box because they know what's in it?

Mathman · May 23, 2019

I would say that the USFSA is not so much passing the buck as asking for help.

USFS is not an investigative body, they have no legal status to subpoena anyone, they do not have the necessary resources, staff or expertise. Obviously the federation does not want to preside over a gaggle of pedophiles and sexual predators -- but what concrete practical steps can they take to better meet their responsibilities?

Unfortunately, these class action lawsuits. if that is where we are headed, get mixed public reaction at best. When you sue someone and the lawyer takes a third of the winnings to cover legal expenses, that's fair enough -- if you didn't have a good lawyer you would get nothing instead of two-thirds. Still, it is kind of off-putting when we see these ads on TV: "Did you get cancer from asbestos? Call Bogus & Shyster to add your name to our class action lawsuit. You will get 35 cents and we will get a hundred million dollars."

WeakAnkles · May 23, 2019

Mathman said:
I would say that the USFSA is not so much passing the buck as asking for help.

USFS is not an investigative body, they have no legal status to subpoena anyone, they do not have the necessary resources, staff or expertise. Obviously the federation does not want to preside over a gaggle of pedophiles and sexual predators -- but what concrete practical steps can they take to better meet their responsibilities?

Unfortunately, these class action lawsuits. if that is where we are headed, get mixed public reaction at best. When you sue someone and the lawyer takes a third of the winnings to cover legal expenses, that's fair enough -- if you didn't have a good lawyer you would get nothing instead of two-thirds. Still, it is kind of off-putting when we see these ads on TV: "Did you get cancer from asbestos? Call Bogus & Shyster to add your name to our class action lawsuit. You will get 35 cents and we will get a hundred million dollars."

Come to Florida, where these kind of lawyers and law firms must account for at least 33.3% of every cable channel's ad budget.

I may sue them for damage to my index finger, having to change the channel every time another one of these sleazeball firms run another ad.

Seren · May 23, 2019

There is nothing about this story that isn't sad.

The victims never get justice, and someone lost their life. Whatever Jon did or didn't do, I think everyone deserves the chance to make amends. Now no one gets their voice heard and no one gets any closure. Additionally, the fact that no one is continuing the investigation sends a message to the victims that they don't really matter.

drivingmissdaisy · May 23, 2019

TontoK said:
It seems to me that USFSA is trying to pass the buck. Is there anything stopping them from conducting their own investigation? I thought SafeSport's sole mandate was to protect athletes from abusive situations. Coughlin is dead, whether he was guilty or innocent, he's not a threat now.

I'm not much for conspiracies, well mainly I'm not, but could USFSA be afraid to open that Pandora's Box because they know what's in it?

The investigations shouldn't end. Imagine if Larry Nassar took his life when allegations started to surface publicly. USA Gymnastics made a lot of changes in response to that, and likely none of those would have happened had any investigations stopped because Nassar was no longer a threat. Like you, I think it's likely that the USFSA cares more about its image than making any serious changes to protect athletes.

andromache · May 23, 2019

drivingmissdaisy said:
The investigations shouldn't end. Imagine if Larry Nassar took his life when allegations started to surface publicly. USA Gymnastics made a lot of changes in response to that, and likely none of those would have happened had any investigations stopped because Nassar was no longer a threat. Like you, I think it's likely that the USFSA cares more about its image than making any serious changes to protect athletes.

I agree. When abuse takes place within an institution, whether it's gymnastics, the Catholic Church, or figure skating - it means that other people knew. And the other people who knew did nothing to protect those victims or to report the abuser.

USFS should be hiring an outside agency to investigate.

TontoK · May 23, 2019

andromache said:
I agree. When abuse takes place within an institution, whether it's gymnastics, the Catholic Church, or figure skating - it means that other people knew. And the other people who knew did nothing to protect those victims or to report the abuser.

USFS should be hiring an outside agency to investigate.

This is the obvious course of action, and their apparent reluctance to come to this conclusion makes me very suspicious.

Any potential SafeSport investigation would involve only one man, a dead man. And that would keep things nice and tidy without the prospect of an expanding scandal.

Time for the truth to come out, whatever it may be. And if the truth is ugly, then it's past time that the problems should have been addressed.

lanceupper1114 · May 23, 2019

So how does Namiotka fit into the narrative created by the Coughlin family that the allegations were inserted by a rival applying for the same US Olympic committee broadcasting job? :scratch2:

el henry · May 23, 2019

lanceupper1114 said:
So how does Namiotka fit into the narrative created by the Coughlin family that the allegations were inserted by a rival applying for the same US Olympic committee broadcasting job?

We do not know what happened, we do not know who filed the original complaint, and we certainly do not know if it was Bridget. She has not said so (nor is she under an obligation to).

The original complaint could well have been filed by a third party, and thus there is no “narrative” “created” by the Coughlin family.

and given that the original investigation has understandably concluded, how it originated is of little import now ; :shrug:

DanseMacabre · May 23, 2019

andromache said:
I agree. When abuse takes place within an institution, whether it's gymnastics, the Catholic Church, or figure skating - it means that other people knew. And the other people who knew did nothing to protect those victims or to report the abuser.

USFS should be hiring an outside agency to investigate.

Exactly. This isn't a SafeSport matter anymore nor is SafeSport the only entity capable of investigating the situation. An independent third party would likely be the best option to pursue any type of investigation, especially one to determine who, if anyone, is at fault within USFS for creating or perpetuating a culture of silence and abuse, just as the Ropes and Gray report detailed the institutional failings on the part of USAG and the USOC that enabled a predator to operate unimpeded within their organizations for decades.

el henry · May 23, 2019

I think from their own transparency point of view, USFS might want to conduct an evaluation. The scope would depend on the questions.

The first question:
Was there abuse?

The second question:
Did anyone in authority know or hide or fail to report?

The third question:
Even if there was no abuse, did anyone in authority discourage questions, reports, or investigations.

The fourth question:
What environment did this create?

Any lawyer who went into such an investigation *assuming*, based on Facebook posts and newspaper articles mostly quoting another lawyer, that any sort of culture existed, should be disbarred.:noshake:

But if they went in without assumptions, with ability to question, and with access to everyone, then they could arrive at conclusions.

That’s a report I would read.

Casual · May 24, 2019

karne said:
This argument leaves me uncomfortable.

Coughlin chose to end the investigation in just about the worst way possible: a way that gives no-one any closure and ensured there would be a huge backlash against the victims.

If anything...it could be viewed as one final act of control, one final act of abuse.

Phooey. Lets not make stuff up here. The situation is bad enough, without overdramatizing.

The alleged abuser's suicide could be viewed as many other, equally possible things: a desperate act of defiance by an innocent man; or an act of contrition by a guilty man; or an act of avoidance by a coward who can't handle public humiliation; or an act of courage by a family man trying to save his family from corrupt lawyers; etc., etc.

So many possibilities, all of them with potential to whip ourselves up into righteous anger; but most without any basis in reality.

Former figure skater says she was abused by partner who killed himself

Mathman

theharleyquinn

el henry

Go have some cake. And come back with jollity.

theharleyquinn

karne

in Emergency Backup Mode

CellarDweller

Ice Time

CellarDweller

Ice Time

Mathman

TontoK

Hot Tonto

Mathman

WeakAnkles

Seren

Wakabond Forever

drivingmissdaisy

andromache

TontoK

Hot Tonto

lanceupper1114

el henry

Go have some cake. And come back with jollity.

DanseMacabre

el henry

Go have some cake. And come back with jollity.

Casual

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