Keeping Track of Criminal Cases & SafeSport Suspensions in Skating

[MacMadame]

It also seems that you can't jump to the quiz at the end if you need to stay on one slide for xx number of seconds?

You can't skip ahead on anything. Not even the videos. Not that I wanted to skip ahead on those but I did want to rewind about 20 seconds on one and had to instead watch it from the beginning!

 

[overedge]

Posting this because it may have implications for other sport organizations in Canada. The Dept of Canadian Heritage has now frozen its funding for Gymnastics Canada, after some lobbying by the gymnasts involved in a class action suit against that organization. And Hockey Canada spent some of the money in an "equity fund" - money that came from membership fees - to pay off a lawsuit by the woman who was sexually assaulted by Canadian world junior players in 2018.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/hockey-canada-complainant-says-cooperated-police-investigation-1.6538623

There is also now an investigation into another alleged group assault, at the world junior hockey championships in Halifax in 2003.

 

[Artistic Skaters]

A conviction for a previous case listed here:

Rockford Ice Skating Coach Convicted of Sexually Abusing a Young Skater

A jury found a northern Illinois ice skating coach guilty of aggravated criminal sexual abuse involving a young skater.

www.nbcchicago.com

A jury found a northern Illinois ice skating coach guilty of aggravated criminal sexual abuse involving a young skater.

The verdict against Eugene Heffron, 83, was announced Friday by the Winnebago County state's attorney's office. The girl was between the ages of 9 and 15 when the abuse occurred from 1999-2006.

She was among three former skaters who accused the longtime coach in Rockford of sexual misconduct in 2018. Illinois State Police conducted an investigation after reports that skaters were touched inappropriately during lessons, the Rockford Register Star reported that year.

Heffron is scheduled to be sentenced Jan. 27, 2023. He faces between three and seven years in prison, according to prosecutors. He also could receive probation.

 

[overedge]

An article with an update on the charges against Richard Gauthier for allegedly abusing one of his male students. The trial took place in March. The article is in French, but it discusses the defense's claim that the complainant was old enough to meet the age of consent when the alleged activities happened in 1984. The age is younger now because the laws have changed. So the judge may have to decide whether the laws from 1984 are the relevant laws, or whether the current age standard should apply.

Procès d’un ex-entraîneur de patinage artistique | La victime s’est soumise, mais n’a pas consenti, plaide la Couronne

L’ancien entraîneur de patinage artistique Richard Gauthier a utilisé sa position d’autorité pour soumettre sa victime à des actes sexuels auxquels elle n’a pas consenti, selon la Couronne. Une analyse que rejette la défense.

www.lapresse.ca

 

[MacMadame]

I don't think it matters what age he was. His coach has power over him. Therefore, consent is compromised.

I believe the article even says that this was true in 1984. (Hard to tell as that part was confusing.)

 

[kwanfan1818]

A conviction for a previous case listed here:

Rockford Ice Skating Coach Convicted of Sexually Abusing a Young Skater

A jury found a northern Illinois ice skating coach guilty of aggravated criminal sexual abuse involving a young skater.

www.nbcchicago.com

...

The verdict against Eugene Heffron, 83, was announced Friday by the Winnebago County state's attorney's office. The girl was between the ages of 9 and 15 when the abuse occurred from 1999-2006.

...

So if he was doing this to a 9-15-year-old girl, and he was 61-67 at the time, is it likely this was a first for him in half a century or so of coaching?

 

[greenapple]

A female coach from Québec has been suspended for a year by Skate Canada for misconduct. Article in French.

Excerpts:

"Marie-Christine Grenier, who was still teaching figure skating to children and teenagers at the Sherbrooke Figure Skating Club (CPA) in recent days, was added yesterday to the list of suspended people.

According to our information, a survey was conducted in recent weeks and people in the skating community have been interviewed about Ms. Grenier's practices.

The (Skate Canada) Director of Communications, Emma Bowie, confirmed that "Marie-Christine Grenier is not authorized to participate in any activity in which members or members of Skate Canada take part, during the period of her suspension, from October 24, 2022 to October 23, 2023."

 

[danafan]

Grenier was the coach of former international competitor Sarah-Maude Blanchard and I believe she is the sister of former singles and pairs competitor Vanessa Grenier.

 

[overedge]

A year's suspension is pretty long by SC standards. This must have been a fairly serious situation.

 

[overedge]

The Status of Women Committee of Canada's Parliament is currently holding hearings on whether to call a national inquiry into abuse in sports. Although it's not mentioned specifically in this story, Rob Koehler, the director of the athlete advocacy group Global Athlete, told the committee that figure skaters are among the athletes that have contacted him with stories of abuse that their federation has ignored.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/politics/national-judicial-inquiry-athletes-1.6659144

 

[Seerek]

I'm confused - I saw John Zimmerman in the Kiss N Cry at Warsaw Cup last week. Is his presence "okay" in this instance since his pupil is international and not under USFSA?

 

[Debbie S]

I'm confused - I saw John Zimmerman in the Kiss N Cry at Warsaw Cup last week. Is his presence "okay" in this instance since his pupil is international and not under USFSA?

John's suspension was overturned by SafeSport about a year ago. But yes, his suspension only covered U.S. skaters and USFS-sanctioned events and club activities, so he was free to coach in Europe or wherever else.

 

[ElleL]

So if he was doing this to a 9-15-year-old girl, and he was 61-67 at the time, is it likely this was a first for him in half a century or so of coaching?

He was my coach for a few years. I was stunned to learn of his arrest. I only saw him as all business. To me (adult skater), he was impersonal and insensitive to a fault. He didn't seem that friendly with anyone. I guess abusers can be skilled at behaving one way in public and another way with a victim or potential victim. I'm so sorry those girls were abused and appalled that it went on for years. I, too, wondered how many other victims there might be, including skaters I knew.

 

[Cant Skate]

Has there been any update about Matthew Power since this was last posted? This is the last published article I could find....

Preliminary Inquiry Set for Figure Skating Coach Facing Sexual Assault Charges

The preliminary inquiry has been set for a suspended figure skating coach facing sexual assault charges. 28-ye...

vocm.com

 

[overedge]

News from the Canadian parliamentary committee that is looking into abuse in Canadian sports.

https://twitter.com/rwesthead/status/1597643328157536256

Seeing as Skate Canada has never publicly posted the minutes of its board meetings AFAIK, even for members, this could be.....interesting.

 

[Sylvia]

May 16, 2022:

"A federal judge is allowing a former competitive figure skater’s [Maurizi] lawsuit alleging sexual abuse by his skating coach [Callaghan] that started during the 1970s in Buffalo to proceed against the Buffalo Skating Club." (Buffalo, NY article, May 16):

Judge denies Buffalo Skating Club's bid to dismiss abuse lawsuit by former figure skater

Two years ago, Craig Maurizi filed the lawsuit in U.S. District Court in Buffalo, claiming that from 1976 to 1986, beginning at age 13, he suffered sexual abuse by his

buffalonews.com

ETA - article from July 2020 when the original federal civil action was filed in Buffalo by Maurizi:

Figure skating coach Richard Callaghan sued by former athlete, alleging sexual abuse and coverup

Defendants include three governing bodies, accused for turning a blind eye to rampant misconduct.

www.nbcnews.com

Today's update (article by Pete Madden and Dan Murphy):

Skating coach Callaghan won't work with minors

Disgraced figure skating coach Richard Callaghan has agreed to not work with minors ever again following the settlement of a lawsuit against him that accused the 76-year-old of sexual abuse in the 1970s and '80s.

www.espn.com

Richard Callaghan, a once-celebrated figure skating coach, has agreed to refrain from coaching minors as part of a legal settlement with one of the former students who has accused him of abuse.
Craig Maurizi, a skater-turned-coach, has repeatedly alleged that Callaghan sexually abused him on numerous occasions when he was a young skater in the 1970s and 1980s. He filed a lawsuit against Callaghan in 2020, the latest chapter in a decades-long effort to keep Callaghan off the ice.

The full terms of the settlement -- which also included the Buffalo Skating Club, one of the oldest skating institutions in the United States -- are confidential. But ABC News and ESPN obtained an affidavit signed by Callaghan in October, in which he consents (without admitting liability) to a provision designed to limit his contact with young skaters in the future.
"In conjunction with the settlement," the affidavit reads, "I agree that I will not coach any skaters under the age of eighteen (18) years old ever again."
Callaghan, 76, has filed for bankruptcy, and his future plans remain unknown. No financial terms of the settlement were made public or included in the affidavit obtained by ABC News and ESPN. Keith Bond, the Buffalo-based attorney who represented Callaghan, did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

SafeSport's suspension ended this week, and Callaghan's name is no longer listed in the organization's database of sanctioned individuals, leaving no official record of his misconduct despite U.S. Figure Skating having agreed to pay $1.45 million in 2021 to settle a separate lawsuit brought by another one of his former skaters.
A SafeSport spokesperson did not respond to questions about the end of Callaghan's suspension.
With the settlement agreement -- featuring the pledge he extracted from Callaghan -- Maurizi said he hopes to accomplish what SafeSport could not.

 

[VGThuy]

I was browsing and found this thread in the Figure Skating Subreddit that contains a photocopy of the criminal affidavit filed against Cipres in Florida.

r/FigureSkating - [NSFW] Just so we are all clear on what Morgan Cipres is charged with and with what is alleged to have happened.

140 votes and 53 comments so far on Reddit

www.reddit.com

Most of the information isn’t new but there’s a transcript of what he actually messaged the victim through Instagram that accompanied the photos he sent. I don’t think that has been brought up before nor has a photo copy of the complaint been linked before. My apologies in advance if it has. It’s my first time seeing it.

 

[Private Citizen]

Most of the information isn’t new but there’s a transcript of what he actually messaged the victim through Instagram that accompanied the photos he sent.

Terrible and disgusting, and completely debunks the rumor that this was somehow all a dare, a mix-up, a misunderstanding.

Did Zimmerman and Fontana really cover this up?!?!?! There's no excuse for their gross lack of judgment, no grey area if they were aware of the message in addition to the pictures.

What are the odds that Cipres will ever be brought to justice? I guess he'd be arrested if he ever set foot in the U.S., but beyond that?

 

[Sparks]

Not a damn thing, I'm afraid

 

[greenapple]

Gilles Beyer, the French coach Sarah Abitbol accused has died.

"I am in shock," Abitbol told French magazine L'Obs. "He departs before being judged. I would have liked there to be a trial."

 

[greenapple]

Richard Gauthier has been found guilty. Brief report in French.

"I hope it will send a message to all the survivors. The passage of time does not erase the acts committed in the past, and it does not affect the reliability of the testimonies, " said Me Amélie Rivard of the Crown, just after Richard Gauthier was found guilty of gross indecency and sexual assault.

 

[puglover]

It will be interesting to see what the actual penalty is for Richard Gauthier. I'm just googling but it sounds like sexual assault is around 18 months and gross indecency even less. Hopefully, the total loss of his good name and livelihood is the ultimate price that makes disclosing feel worthwhile for his victim.

 

[victorskid]

An article in English: https://globalnews.ca/news/9436267/...-found-guilty-of-sex-assault-gross-indecency/

 

[ninjapirate]

The founder and director of the figure skating museum in Russia has been arrested for molesting a 10 year old student he coached in a mall ice rink.

Столичный СК

❗️Следователи устанавливают всех потерпевших от действий мужчины, обвиняемого в совершении преступления против половой неприкосновенности на северо-западе Москвы Тушинским межрайонным следственным отделом следственного управления по Северо-Западному административному округу Главного...

t.me

В Москве мужчина надругался над девочкой во время занятий на ледовой арене

Мужчина надругался над девочкой во время занятий на ледовой арене, сообщает Главное следственное управление Следственного комитета России по Москве.«24 января 2023 года обвиняемый, работая на ледовой арене одного из торговых центров, расположенных на территории Тушинского района, во время...

moslenta.ru

«СобеÑи бÑлки»: извеÑÑного ÑигÑÑиÑÑа обвинили в пÑиÑÑавании к ÑÑениÑе на каÑке

РодиÑели ÑÑениÑÑ 4-го клаÑÑа обвинили в ÑекÑÑалÑнÑÑ Ð´Ð¾Ð¼Ð¾Ð³Ð°ÑелÑÑÑÐ²Ð°Ñ Ð¸Ð·Ð²ÐµÑÑного ÑигÑÑиÑÑа. СледоваÑели Ñже возбÑдили Ñголовное дело по ÑÑаÑÑе 132 ÑаÑÑÑ 4 «Ð» ("ÐаÑилÑÑÑвеннÑе дейÑÑвиÑ...

www.mk.ru

He's not super prominent, but if you follow Russian skaters on instagram then there's a good chance you'd have seen him before.

Login • Instagram

Welcome back to Instagram. Sign in to check out what your friends, family & interests have been capturing & sharing around the world.

www.instagram.com

He also recently married and had a child with a former student of his. When I first followed him on instagram, he had a wife that was younger but close to his age(I think I still follower her on instagram but don't know the handle). After they divorced, I noticed him a lot less on my instagram feed.

 

[overedge]

Relevant to this thread, a group has been formed to advocate for change in Canadian figure skating. Its statement from its Twitter account here: https://twitter.com/fsforchangecan/status/1620438533608714250/photo/2

 

[Sylvia]

story of abuse within a figure skater's family - Anita Ostlund's post on January 22, 2023 (“Isn't it funny how day by day nothing changes, but when we look back everything is different.”): https://www.instagram.com/p/CnufIheLdDV/

My mother abused Anita, 22 throughout her childhood - "I lived constantly in fear"

Oma äiti pahoinpiteli Anitaa, 22 koko lapsuuden ajan – ”Elin jatkuvasti pelon tunteessa”

Pyeongchangin olympiajäällä 2018 luistellut Anita Östlund muutti Göteborgista Tukholmaan ja alkoi opiskella psykologiaa.

www.is.fi

Machine translation of this Finnish article below (thanks for tweeting, Ritti!):

SWEDEN'S Anita Östlund represented her country at the Pyeongchang Olympic Games in the winter of 2018. Behind her beautiful skating was a harsh personal tragedy. 22-year-old Östlund says in an interview with Radiosporten that a close person abused her mentally and physically throughout her childhood.
- I lived constantly in fear, says Östlund in a radio interview.
The skater told the social worker about the situation, after which she was able to live in a shelter.
According to Radiosporten, the abuse was committed by the skater's mother. She was sentenced in the summer of 2022 for four counts of assault and three counts of harassment.
IN A RADIO INTERVIEW, Östlund talks about nightmarish home conditions.
- I ran to the ice rink to avoid unpleasant things, Östlund said and praised her coach [Andrea Dohany, I assume?].
- She has supported me enormously, and I don't know how I would have managed without her help.

Östlund lived in Gothenburg, but has moved to Stockholm, where she studies psychology at the Karolinska Institute. Östlund has published a picture on Instagram where she is walking in Stockholm's old town [linked above].
- It's weird how everything feels the same day after day, but when you look back, everything has changed, Östlund wrote.
After the move, she has put his figure skating career on hold.

 

[MacMadame]

FYI: SafeSport now has a free course for parents of athletes. Unlike their regular course, this one is free.

https://safesporttrained.org/?mkt_tok=MTA2LU5aUC0yMzEAAAGKpBhewVWmWMO245c1etJ3vMC6SFy6ZZ2MsMjhjxMQX2_VTXqGB3hFC-cRKZLfCh130MFfluNMjGtcuB5EsqTJlVIAfrIbReXgcbAqUb_fPY8#/login

I plan to check it out to see if it's appropriate for my volunteers as well as marketing it to the parents of our participants.

 

[ice coverage]

FYI: SafeSport now has a free course for parents of athletes. Unlike their regular course, this one is free.

https://safesporttrained.org/?mkt_tok=MTA2LU5aUC0yMzEAAAGKpBhewVWmWMO245c1etJ3vMC6SFy6ZZ2MsMjhjxMQX2_VTXqGB3hFC-cRKZLfCh130MFfluNMjGtcuB5EsqTJlVIAfrIbReXgcbAqUb_fPY8#/login

I plan to check it out to see if it's appropriate for my volunteers as well as marketing it to the parents of our participants.

"SafeSport™ Training is free for U.S. Figure Skating members and nonmember volunteers when completed through U.S. Figure Skating Members Only" -- and I think this free offering has been longstanding?

(Going back much further than my own experience [as a nonmember volunteer] of taking the training for free in 2021 [my first training ever] and 2022 [compliance renewal].)

 

[MacMadame]

My triathlon club had to pay. It's probably a sport by sport thing.

 

[overedge]

The SafeSport disciplinary database lists a temporary suspension for Shawn Do of Independence, Missouri, effective March 20. Google doesn't show anything about him that I could find.