Zimmerman suspended for 2 years by U.S. Center for SafeSport

[Frau Muller]

Also, this Vinny dude. ....

Not to make light of a heavy matter but...

The way that we've talked about him, I'm curious about what Vinny Dude looks like...I'm picturing a James Cagney -

https://i.pinimg.com/originals/12/16/28/12162806c56d8e95a41b58b4f1bed49b.gif

 

[ЭPiKUilyam]

LOL!! I'm imagining him more like The Situation from Jersey Shore. https://static2.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/The-Situation-on-Jersey-Shore.jpg

 

[Frau Muller]

LOL!! I'm imagining him more like The Situation from Jersey Shore. https://static2.srcdn.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2019/09/The-Situation-on-Jersey-Shore.jpg

“How about an easy pizza? I’ll even throw in a 2-liter Pepsi.” Eeeewww.

 

[MacMadame]

Vinnie Dispenza actually looks like this:

Figure Skating Coaches | AdventHealth Center Ice

www.ahcenterice.com

I'm not sure if that's his wife or his sister next to him. A few years ago there was a GoFundMe for her because she had to have her colon removed due to ulcerative colitis and his name was on it. So I'm guessing wife.

Can you give examples of such scenarios, please?

Please, no.

There is absolutely no way bullying an abuse victim into silence could possibly be misconstrued as a good intention, but I'm interested to see how you'll try.

I'm not. I'm so not that I would encourage people not to do this. It's gross.

 

[BittyBug]

Vinnie Dispenza actually looks like this:

Figure Skating Coaches | AdventHealth Center Ice

www.ahcenterice.com

He's the skating director?!!!! I can only imagine how toxic the environment in that rink must be.

 

[Brenda_Bottems]

The only thing here more problematic than Mr. Zimmerman and Mr. Dispenza's dubitable morals are those dated and brittle hairstyles.

-BB

 

[MacMadame]

He's the skating director?!!!! I can only imagine how toxic the environment in that rink must be.

It explains why he wasn't fired.

 

[ЭPiKUilyam]

It explains why he wasn't fired.

This to me is a major red flag. If the skating DIRECTOR is fraternizing with 13 y/o girls and encouraging them to ask for DPs from a grown man, well, why is he still there?!?!?! You'd think all of the parents would demand his removal. I would. Otherwise I'm out of there. How disgusting. He looks young too, so how did he get this position? Daddy? I'd steer clear from that rink as I think any responsible parent would too to protect their children.

 

[Artistic Skaters]

I wonder what the sponsor AdventHealth thinks of this whole scandal. Or maybe they are unaware. It seems like it's gotten more coverage in the national rather than the local press.

I noticed on the SafeSport site there are a lot of complaints filed under some of the other sports, especially gymnastics. The Nassar scandal has apparently empowered other gymnasts to come forward and report abuse and misconduct. Once figure skating faces a full reckoning, hopefully reporting will improve like it has for gymnastics.

 

[cholla]

And Cipres? Well, he might have major cultural differences back in France,

Cipres' behavior doesn't come from any major cultural differences, it comes from the fact he is a jerk.

 

[Jaana]

In my opinion Cipres deserves a punishment at least equal to those of the male coaches, because he is the one that caused everything by sending that photo...

 

[Yuri]

Jenna Dzierzanowski and Vinny Dispenza competed together at US Nationals together in Novice and Junior Dance, finishing 13th in Juniors in 2012. So no, they're not brother and sister. Both are listed as Skating Director and Coach at Advent Health Center Ice. John and Sylvia are listed as Head Coaches there.

 

[Orm Irian]

In my opinion Cipres deserves a punishment at least equal to those of the male coaches, because he is the one that caused everything by sending that photo...

There's an arrest warrant out for him in Florida, so if he ever shows his face there again, he might well get a considerably stronger one.

 

[cholla]

There's an arrest warrant out for him in Florida, so if he ever shows his face there again, he might well get a considerably stronger one.

I wish he was dumb enough to show his face again in Florida. After all, he's capable of posting Insta videos of him driving 50 km/h over speed limit in his pricy Mercedes, or partying with a whole crowd of friends when gatherings are currently limited to 6 persons. He hasn't learnt anything and he obviously never will. He has a younger sister. When she was 13, what would have been his reaction if any man had sent her dickpix? He seems close to his sis (and mom) so I bet the sender would have had his phone shoved up his teeth, and no more teeth, in no time. Thinking he won't be punished is infuriating.

 

[Frau Muller]

I wish he was dumb enough to show his face again in Florida.

OR... remember the old TV show Mission: Impossible, in which a team - the IMF/Impossible Missions Force - would be sent across borders to grab & bring criminals to justice? Time for the IMF to spring to life?

 

[Vagabond]

I wish he was dumb enough to show his face again in Florida.

I'm not sure about this, but I think that the arrest warrant makes Ciprès subject to extradition if he sets foot in any country other than France that has a treaty with the United States. As some may remember, Roman Polanski was very nearly extradited when he visited Switzerland.

 

[chachacha]

He's the skating director?!!!! I can only imagine how toxic the environment in that rink must be.

All involved are still working at that rink? Appears the Vinny guy is the Director. Goes to show you the rink is still allowing these coaches to work in their rink despite the suspension and probation action.

 

[kwanfan1818]

If it is the same rink, the rink owner trashed the girl and her family, and it should be no surprise that he would take any steps he wasn't obligated to against the coaches involved.

 

[ЭPiKUilyam]

Cipres' behavior doesn't come from any major cultural differences, it comes from the fact he is a jerk.

That, or insanely stupid.

 

[kwanfan1818]

My vote is for entitled.

 

[once_upon]

My vote is sexual predator and zero conscience

 

[Prancer]

This to me is a major red flag. If the skating DIRECTOR is fraternizing with 13 y/o girls and encouraging them to ask for DPs from a grown man, well, why is he still there?!?!?!

Unless I am reading things incorrectly or am confused about the details (both very possible), he was not the skating director at the time and so was promoted to the position after the fact.

 

[Cherub721]

Unless I am reading things incorrectly or am confused about the details (both very possible), he was not the skating director at the time and so was promoted to the position after the fact.

Ah, isn't that lovely.

 

[misskarne]

Unless I am reading things incorrectly or am confused about the details (both very possible), he was not the skating director at the time and so was promoted to the position after the fact.

Every time I think this can't get worse, it somehow manages to.

 

[kwanfan1818]

Not skating, but in this essay about the now late conductor James Levine, conductor Kenneth Woods clearly lists the analogies in the music world for an adult, one who wasn't a victim:

It astonishes me that some on the internet have chosen to defend Levine on the basis that he was a victim of ‘cancel culture.’

...

Here’s what cancel culture is.

Cancel culture is that the voice on my shoulder saying “don’t write about James Levine” is saying things like “because you’ll never work at the BSO or the Met.” ... That voice is saying “don’t question his musical genius, because the leading critics in America have spent the last 30 years telling everyone he’s the greatest conductor since Bernstein, and critics have long memories.” That voice is saying “don’t call out the complicity of the rich and powerful, because in addition to sitting on boards of directors that facilitated his criminality and covered up his crimes, they sit on boards of trusts and foundations that you need to support your work.” That voice is saying “don’t speak ill of the dead, it’s wrong.” Well, if someone is ‘ill’ and you can’t speak of them when they’re alive, and you can’t speak of them when they’re dead, then I guess you can’t speak ill of them at all. That voice is talking to me and MANY others like me this week. The fear in our industry is real. People don’t want a ‘reputation’. They don’t want to burn bridges. But, like Granny under the axe [explained earlier in the piece], I’ve lived, I’ve got a job (for now), and so here I am. Having seen a few of my friends and colleagues with more to lose than me speak the truth on this topic today, I want to stand with them.

 

[suef]

“How about an easy pizza? I’ll even throw in a 2-liter Pepsi.” Eeeewww.

What exactly is this in reference to?

 

[allezfred]

Every time I think this can't get worse, it somehow manages to.

Cipres has also become an estate agent.

 

[Orm Irian]

Cipres has also become an estate agent.

I would have predicted used car salesman...

 

[Perky Shae Lynn]

Saw Silvia at the Ellington rink yesterday. Looking pissed off and miserable. Not a smile all day. Every time I see her I wonder whether her public persona as a skater was totally fake, or it's just life beating her down.

 

[Sylvia]

^^^ Or she was having a bad day like we all do sometimes?

Since this thread was never updated with this information... the following was posted on July 29 in the "Keeping Track of Criminal Cases & SafeSport Suspensions in Skating" thread (much discussion followed): https://www.fsuniverse.net/forum/th...ensions-in-skating.105778/page-9#post-6027481

from Judge Three on Twitter:

"John Zimmerman won his appeal and has been removed from the U.S. Center for SafeSport database and US Figure Skating’s SafeSport list."

https://twitter.com/JudgeThree/status/1420772726713856001