Ashley Wagner assaulted by John Coughlin

evasorange · Aug 1, 2019

Oh wow this completely breaks my heart. Ashley is so brave and strong to be able to share this story. Especially considering she’s not the “perfect victim”( I don’t believe in such a thing but unfortunately many do) and people have always looked to downplay and dismiss what she says. It’s sad we’ll never see justice in this case because of Johns cowardice but I hope Ashley and other victims feel a sense of empowerment and closure knowing there is many of us out there who DO believe them and know it wasn’t their fault.

gsk8 · Aug 1, 2019

One thing SafeSport could do is incorporate training on sexual harassment which can (and often does) lead to sexual assault. The federations of all sports should make available a seminar for athletes to learn what is acceptable and what is not. Federations should then make said seminar(s) a required training class one a year, for athletes, coaches, and an assigned Equal Opportunity officer for each federation.

While education starts at home with the parents, more specialized and focused information is definitely needed.

I applaud Wagner and hope that she and other victims will find the support that they need to heal.

Edwin · Aug 1, 2019

Colonel Green said:
What would be the moral or practical value of that approach, exactly? That's a recipe for sweeping things under the rug, and letting people like Namiotka who have already accused him feel more isolated.

There is already the Gutsu vs Shcherbo scandal in Russian gymnastics. Shcherbo allegedly raped 15 y.o. Gutsu at some afterparty (1991 World Championships or thereabouts), and nobody in Russia would believe Gutsu or hear anything bad about Shcherbo, including most of the sports tabloids and gossip press that is so adamant in creating scandal in FS.

A Safe Sport initiative might be sorely needed in Russia too, but RF Ministry of Sports has other priorities like raising Russia's prestige using means fair and foul, re Sochi OG etc.

PS: the fact that nobody actively defended Shcherbo only confirmed his reputation as being a piece of excrement.
Shcherbo still runs a MAG gym in the USA, Gutsu coached in the USA for years and only came out because of the #metoo movement and was sued for slander by Shcherbo. Apparently nothing came of both accusations.

Ziotic · Aug 1, 2019

flanker said:
Thanks for supporting the Godwin's law.

You may call it professional deformation, but public confession is not irrefutable evidence.

Nothing is ever 100% irrefutable, there ate always shades and perspectives to every story.

However, not speaking about it, or “only speaking positive” about someone dead is basically just allowing a horrible cycle to repeat, never learning from the past to better the future.

Whether these allegations are true or not we may never know, but not discussing them, learning from them or moving forward with positive measures effectively repeats a cycle of toxic social norms that endanger the wellbeing of children and minors.

Edwin · Aug 1, 2019

gsk8 said:
One thing SafeSport could do is incorporate training on sexual harassment which can (and often does) lead to sexual assault. The federations of all sports should make available a seminar for athletes to learn what is acceptable and what is not. Federations should then make said seminar(s) a required training class one a year, for athletes, coaches, and an assigned Equal Opportunity officer for each federation.

While education starts at home with the parents, more specialized and focused information is definitely needed.

I applaud Wagner and hope that she and other victims will find the support that they need to heal.

And either a criminal database or a public register of Good Conduct with compulsory registration and compulsory checks and updates of that register when any person working with children is hired or dismissed for certain reasons.
Public means the parents can check who is touching their children.

Raising awareness and setting and maintaining clear guidelines and codes of conduct, starting from USOC down to any sports' governing body to any university, college, high school, private club.

Moxiejan · Aug 1, 2019

litenkyckling said:
Although, "safe whereabouts" aside, I think that the point that Ashley is trying to make is that this was safe. She was surrounded by people she trusted. Obviously the age gaps and power imbalances are a huge part of the problem but it's also important to remember that abuse of trust no matter what the age gap etc is, is a massive part of this too. This must've have been so difficult for her to do, but so grateful that she has shared her story.

And this is exactly why minors at fed events need fed chaperones ... they obviously are too young to know that what feels “safe” is actually quite dangerous. This horrific story could have ended in another tragic way, with minor skaters hurt/killed in a car crash because a DUI driver tried to take them back to their hotel.

Rissa · Aug 1, 2019

Moxiejan said:
Her story also raises another issue that so far hasn’t been addressed: The manner in which underage skaters at an official event were able to so easily gather at a party & drink, without any apparent fed supervision. Yes, some likely were 21+ and legal to do that. But Ashley probably wasn’t the only minor there who was not able to get back to her actual hotel room. Weren’t there any fed adults responsible for the safe whereabouts of these skaters?

Well. This was supposed to be safe environment.

flanker · Aug 1, 2019

Ziotic said:
Nothing is ever 100% irrefutable, there ate always shades and perspectives to every story.

However, not speaking about it, or “only speaking positive” about someone dead is basically just allowing a horrible cycle to repeat, never learning from the past to better the future.

Whether these allegations are true or not we may never know, but not discussing them, learning from them or moving forward with positive measures effectively repeats a cycle of toxic social norms that endanger the wellbeing of children and minors.

For me it is horrible to make allegations against someone who can't defend himself. You may refuse samkrut's words about "russian mentality", but I can say that people here in the middle and eastern Europe know very well what does it mean being sentenced without eveidence/on the basic of false evidence. Therefore we know that presumption of innocence and proper legal process are not formalities but essential elements of the society. Public lynch based on someone's unverified claim is definitely not right.

Ziotic · Aug 1, 2019

Colonel Green- it’s pointless to argue with old world, undereducated and misogynistic view points.

It won’t change anything. All you can do is continue to support those who are brave enough to share their stories and work with those who aim to create a healthier and safe environment for all.

andromache · Aug 1, 2019

Moxiejan said:
And this is exactly why minors at fed events need fed chaperones ... they obviously are too young to know that what feels “safe” is actually quite dangerous. This horrific story could have ended in another tragic way, with minor skaters hurt/killed in a car crash because a DUI driver tried to take them back to their hotel.

While the difference between adults and minors is important from a legal perspective, it's not really from a practical perspective - an 18 year old, or another 22 year old, could also feel perfectly safe in this situation. Why would a situation seem dangerous if you trust all of your friends? How are you supposed to know that one of them is a sexual predator? Sexual predators can also assault other adults. If Ashley was 18 and not a minor, this story would probably have turned out exactly the same way.

Clearly, the culture needs to change. There needs to be more fed supervision and chaperoning, I agree. But I don't think that's the most important takeaway from this story.

Ziotic · Aug 1, 2019

flanker said:
For me it is ghorrigble to make allegations against someone who can't defend himself. You may refuse samkrut's words about "russian mentality", but I can saythat people here in the middle and eastern Europe know very well what does it mean being sentenced without eveidence/on the basic of false evidence. Therefore we know that presumption of innocence and proper legal process are not formalities but essential elements of the society. Public lynch based on someone's unverified claim is definitely not right.

Coughlin is the only person who made the choice of not being here to defend himself, that was his choice.

What he can’t choose is to take away the voices of others.

andromache · Aug 1, 2019

[email protected] said:
I am answering out of respect to you. I don't find any moral value in Ashley's "kicking the dead horse" no pun intended. There was a gathering of young people who drank (legal age is 21?). Judging by her words (and we don't have any other evidence), she was quite drank. I was very drank sometimes and people told me things about myself which I either could not remember or I had a very different perspective about them.

Now she accuses a person about some actions from his side. Was it really like she says? No one will ever tell. Once again based oh her state the reality could be very different. Why would she tell this story now? Here a lot of interpretations are possible. And not all of them would be pleasant to Ashley.

Responses like these are exactly why people do not come forward about sexual assault and their abusers are able to get away with it, over and over again. Thanks for that.

Ziotic · Aug 1, 2019

Nord Stream 2 said:
She said "stop," and he left, what questions could there be? What does this have to do with violence and harassment? In Russia it is called "dancing on the bones"
In the case of Alina honest Ashley did not wait 10 years. Told the truth immediately.
Bridget Namioka... Look at their photos together. How honest you have to be .... to hate a person and so much fun to smile at him 2 years.
Better let them check on Alysa Liu's father. Or in the US, this guy does not seem strange to anyone? You already have one great Director, a big fan of Asian girls. Or as always the truth will come in 10 years?

She shouldn’t have had to say “STOP” in the first place.

He shouldn’t have been on top of her to begin with.

Harriet · Aug 1, 2019

I'm so sorry that he did that to her. And I'm very grateful to her for stepping forward and telling her story, plainly and directly, with the explicit goal of protecting girls and boys even younger than she was then. This is using a public profile for good, and I truly hope it will have the impact she's aiming for and that her work and others' will help to build a safer and more aware environment for all skaters.

Colonel Green · Aug 1, 2019

flanker said:
For me it is ghorrigble to make allegations against someone who can't defend himself. You may refuse samkrut's words about "russian mentality", but I can saythat people here in the middle and eastern Europe know very well what does it mean being sentenced without eveidence/on the basic of false evidence. Therefore we know that presumption of innocence and proper legal process are not formalities but essential elements of the society. Public lynch based on someone's unverified claim is definitely not right.

This isn't a "legal process". Coughlin is dead by his own hand; nothing else can happen to him. And he was the one who made it thus, when his first victims reported him and wanted to have a legal process.

[email protected] said:
Why would she tell this story now?

There's inherent moral value in letting the truth be known.

Moreover, Coughlin's conduct is already the subject of public debate, and those people who have already come forward have been accused of being liars by many. Ashley's story is in solidarity with those people. And if (as she evidently does) she feels that the conditions that surrounded her assault could be replicated in the future, then protecting future skaters from similar circumstances is immensely important.

LiamForeman · Aug 1, 2019

Midway through the article I was wondering how old Coughlin was at that time. Then she named him. I guess good for Ashley for unloading, especially if it calls for more attention to potential dangers in the isolated world of competitive skating. I have some thoughts about this situation, but will refrain because it's not worth it.

TontoK · Aug 1, 2019

What is ABSOLUTELY true in these cases will probably never be known.

Something must be made clear... and I cannot believe some people haven't gotten the message yet...

NO ONE... female or male, rich or poor, minor or of legal age, drunk or sober, from America or not, famous or anonymous... should be fair game for assault or harassment. Sexual or otherwise.

cell · Aug 1, 2019

The Russian comments on sports.ru about Ashley are disgusting, although that website tend to have disgusting comments on general

ruga · Aug 1, 2019

cell said:
The Russian comments on sports.ru about Ashley are disgusting, although that website tend to have disgusting comments on general

That website is insanely toxic and I doubt it represents the majority of Russians (at least I hope so).

cell · Aug 1, 2019

ruga said:
That website is insanely toxic and I doubt it represents the majority of Russians (at least I hope so).

I'm wondering why.. I'm confounded on a daily basis

Ashley Wagner assaulted by John Coughlin

evasorange

gsk8

Edwin

СделаноВХрустальном!

Ziotic

Edwin

СделаноВХрустальном!

Moxiejan

Rissa

flanker

Ziotic

andromache

Ziotic

andromache

Ziotic

Harriet

Colonel Green

LiamForeman

William/Uilyam

TontoK

Hot Tonto

cell

ruga

cell

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