- Joined
- Dec 9, 2017
Thanks for being one of the few on this website who present a clear line of thinking. And the internet fora in general.
US Coaches restricted by SafeSport
- Thread starter brightphoton
- Start date
Thanks for being one of the few on this website who present a clear line of thinking. And the internet fora in general.
Right, I thought you mean Coughlin.
It is indeed.
It would not have hurt the Professional Skater's Association to have included a line about "presenting a united front" and "advocating for and supporting" youthful skaters who are abused and then bullied and shamed by the skating establishment into keeping silent, if they know what's good for them.
By the way, the interim president of Michigan State University (former Michigan governor John Engler) was fired last week for giving a newspaper interview in which he claimed that victims of Larry Nassar were "enjoying the spotlight" that came from their abuse and its fallout.
I am just saying that SafeSport has to guarantee a fair procedure for both the accuser and the accused. And if Coughlin was not heard and maybe even not contacted before the suspension (see the case Alex Naddour), it was not fair, and PSA is right with its demand for reform.
I feel very worried about possible child abuses, but equally worried about politics incl. possibly false accusations against coaches. It seems to me that both children and coaches need more protection at ice rinks. How to achieve that? Maybe there should always be one or two parents or other reliable persons present who immediately after each lesson sign a paper with date and time that no abuse happened?
- Joined
- Feb 22, 2018
Just to remind you: During the Nassar case it came to light that very often parents were present (as in standing right next to him in the same room) while he abused gymnasts. A paper is easily signed when you don't know the signs of abuse (this goes both ways, wrongful accusations can also easily happen this way)
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2009
https://www.instagram.com/p/Bs4adRzn_uz/
From PSA President Christine Fowler-Binder and the Executive Committee of the Professional Skaters Association: ... PSA will do everything in its power to advocate and support our coaches ...
The lesson learned from this is that the 3 skaters that John Coughlin allegedly sexually assaulted don't matter and are troublemakers. They are not wanted in figure skating.
One of them is even going to Nationals in Detroit this week with bodyguards. How terrible to know that your organization has sent out a public, official message telling you that you were wrong to report abuse.
From PSA President Christine Fowler-Binder and the Executive Committee of the Professional Skaters Association: ... PSA will do everything in its power to advocate and support our coaches ...
The lesson learned from this is that the 3 skaters that John Coughlin allegedly sexually assaulted don't matter and are troublemakers. They are not wanted in figure skating.
One of them is even going to Nationals in Detroit this week with bodyguards. How terrible to know that your organization has sent out a public, official message telling you that you were wrong to report abuse.
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2009
It's still a professional and valid organization, even if smaller and less importance than USFSA. When John was first suspended, they did send an email blast to all members, which was required.
John Coughlin was straight.
John Coughlin was straight.
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2017
Sickening to read. Absolute horror. Where was this reported?
- Joined
- Jan 5, 2019
Thanks for the clarification.
Both USFSA and PGA are subordinate to USOC?
No statement from USOC or still too early for that, pending the ongoing investigation by Safe Sport? The Nassar scandal had and is still having repercussions on USOC.
But with gymnastics, USOC demanded, and USAG delivered, some of the most coveted Olympic Medals. Only now we know at what human expense.
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2009
It was on a comment in the Dave Lease/Christine Brennan interview, and Dave said that his contact has expressed similar thoughts. At least one of the victims' identities is known in the Detroit area, and that the people in power have not taken kindly to her accusation.
Can you name the source?
- Joined
- Dec 9, 2017
Thanks. I'd read about her identity being known, but not that such is the fear for her safety that she'll need bodyguards.
There needs to be an investigation into the power structure of USFS, and it needs to happen ASAP.
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2009
I'm on mobile so it's kind of hard, and the commenter is a normal citizen, not a public figure, but if you go to TSL's YouTube channel and go to the Christine Brennan interview, the comment is in the middle third of the list, at least as of now. ctrl-f "bodyguard"
Please calm down. It is only an unverified rumour.
I checked, and I believe you may have misread the comment. The commenter was saying they think the person NEEDS to have a bodyguard, not that they WILL.
- Joined
- Jan 23, 2009
Additionally, if you go to minute 17 of the Christine Brennan interview, Dave says that many people, including figure skating judges, know the identity of at least one of the accusers is, and they are angry at her. Dave wonders if she can ever compete in the sport again.
TSL was right about it being sexual in nature. You might not agree with the way they do things, but they have yet to report something about this case that isn't true. All those memorial posts about Coughlin, when skaters knew who the accuser was, is all I need to know about the "support" the accuser is receiving from the community and the probable backlash they are facing.
Also, the interview repeatedly stressed that Coughlin being suspended/investigated does not in any way mean that he is guilty. Moreover, he did not seem to realize that he did anything wrong, which tells me (I am only speculating) that this was a case of sexual harassment and abuse of power dynamics, the type of crime perpetrators often do not realize they are committing because it is normalized in the work place. This seems to be a failure of the system and the culture that USFS fosters more than anything else. It needs to be investigated.
Target the system, not the accuser. They need to be kept safe.
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