USA Swimming - Swim Coach Molestation and Abuse

Critics Call for New Leadership After Swimming Sex Abuse Scandal

• Abuse allegations against USA coaches rock the swim world
• Jancy Thompson Sues Calif. Coach, USA Swimming Over Sexual Abuse Allegations

Exposing USA Swimming Coach Abuse
Secrets & Betrayals on ABC 20/20

ABC 20/20 reports that 36 USA Swim Coaches have been banned for life for molestation of swimmers. The head of USA Swimming, Chuck Wielgus, refuses to apologize to victims.

More USA Swimming Coach Abuse
ESPN Outside the Lines

ESPN interviews Chuck Wielgus for Outside the Lines. Wielgus states that USA Swimming did not know of Andy King until his arrest in 2009.

More News

• Coach, USA Swimming sued on sex abuse claims
• Second former Bay Area swim coach accused of abuse
• Ruling Criticizes Actions Against Whistleblower
• USA Swimming begins revamping policies to protect young athletes
• USA Swimming board considering athlete safeguards in new partnership
• E-mails show USA Swimming kept sexual abuse complaints about San Jose coach confidential
• The Truth Comes Out: USA Swimming Recommendation of Uchiyama Surfaces
• Opinion: USA Swimming persists in dodging issue of abuse of girls
• USA Swimming Faces Massive Sex Scandal?
• Section 9 Complaint Exposes Alleged Retaliation by USA Swimming
• USA Swimming releases list of 36 banned coaches
• Missouri Suit Alleges Sex Abuse in Youth Swimming
• Swim Coach Mirande Suspended
• Lawsuit Alleges Sexual Abuse in Youth Swimming

Helping Victims of USA Swimming Coach Abuse
It has taken the courage of a young 14 year old swimmer, to come forward with her story of abuse to expose a seriously flawed Background Check program that has allowed many USA Swimming coaches to take advantage of and abuse underage swimmers.

Julia on ABC 20/20

As a result of this young swimmer speaking out, you now have an opportunity to help change the culture inside USA Swimming and make positive changes in the swimming world.

We're asking you to come forward and help force USA Swimming to adopt and enforce a new Background Check program along with new policies, procedures and training that will put an end to USA Swimming swim coach molestation and abuse.

Understanding Your Legal Options if you Have Been Abused
If you or a loved one has been abused by a USA Swimming coach or employee you may be entitled to financial compensation and immediate counseling services to help get you through this traumatic event.

But more importantly, you will help the courageous people that have stepped forward and put their names and reputations on the line to help make change in the culture and mindset of USA Swimming by developing policies, procedures, training as well as a Background Check program that will prevent sexual abuse.

How we can help
We understand the pain and trauma that coaches have caused along with the devastating impact that it has made on families and loved ones. Allow us to handle your case with sensitivity and understanding. Contact us if you are:

• a parent or swimmer victimized by a USA Swimming coach.
• a witness or have heard of a coach or coaches abusing your friend or other swimmers.
• a coach or someone with inside information that is sick and tired of the business as usual approach that is giving your sport a black eye.

All inquiries and the information you provide will be completely confidential.

About Attorneys Robert Allard, Jonathan Little, Lynn Johnson & John Parisi
Attorneys Robert Allard, Jonathan Little, Lynn Johnson & John Parisi are the first attorneys in the country to file lawsuits aiming to hold USA Swimming accountable and responsible for their actions.

• Allard
• Little
• Parisi
• Johnson

By allowing us to handle your claim you get the benefit of 3 high profile law firms working together by sharing information and resources to help you in your fight against USA Swimming. We encourage you to read more about who we are as a firm, who we are as individual attorneys, and what we stand for in the courtroom.

Contact the USA Swimming Coach Abuse attorneys at Shamberg, Johnson & Bergman today for a free consultation regarding your case.

You may call Toll Free: 1-866-484-8966 or fill out the Contact Us form.

July 22, 2010
An arbitrator has ruled in favor of a former USA Swimming vice president who complained about the organization's handling of sexual abuse cases. Mike Saltzstein was reinstated to the list of potential referees at major international events by an arbitrator after he filed a complaint with the United States Olympic Committee saying he was a victim of retaliation by USA Swimming.

July 26, 2010
AP reports that USA Swimming acknowledged that there's a second list of people who've been "flagged" for alleged misconduct against swimmers.

Aug 11, 2010
A new lawsuit was filed on behalf of former swimmer Jancy Thompson by attorneys representing victims of USA Swimming coaching abuse, alleging the organization had knowledge of sexual misconduct by a California swim coach and continued to allow him to coach children.

Aug 21, 2009
Lawsuit filed against USA Swimming, etc... as a result of sexual molestation committed by swim coach Andrew King. The lawsuit claims that USA Swimming failed to conduct a proper background search on King at the time he was hired. USA Swimming fights the lawsuit.

Sept 2009
At the ASCA Clinic in Florida, USA Swimming CEO Chuck Wielgus acknowledged in a speech that he was getting calls from the media on a "weekly basis" about the problem of coaches molesting swimmers. But instead of tightening its rules, USA Swimming merely decides to add a disclaimer to its screening procedures effectively leaving the responsibility of checking into coaches to the individual clubs, the vast majority of which are run by volunteer parents on very small budgets.

Jan 29, 2010
King is sentenced to 40 years in prison for sexually abusing girls he coached in the South Bay and the East Bay.

Feb 3, 2010
Responding to USA Swimming's argument that it did not know about King's background, a former female swimmer of King described how Pacific Swimming board members referred to King as a 'pedophile' or 'child molester' in a joking manner. The swimmer said that she filed a formal complaint regarding King's behavior to the Pacific Swimming Board of Directors. Former board member acknowledged receiving the complaint but also stated that the complaint had been lost.

March 18, 2010
An amended lawsuit is filed alleging King was part of a culture at USA Swimming that ignored swimmers' cries for help.

March 19, 2010
Former Olympic Gold Medalist Deena Deardurff-Schmidt comes forward with allegations that she was abused by a former swim coach from the time she was 11 until she was 15 years of age. USA Swimming responds by minimizing the problem.

March 22, 2010
After speaking to 20/20, Indiana Swimming tries to ban swim coach Ken Stopkotte.

March 24, 2010
USA Swimming President Jim Wood and CEO Chuck Wielgus release a two-page open letter to the swim community admitting, "we feel we can be doing more to protect our members".

ABC 20/20 interviews Wielgus. Wielgus learns from ABC that they are investigating Wielgus' handling of the 2008-2009 Missouri case against former coach Rob Mirande. He has attorneys call the victim's mother.

April 6, 2010
The 15-year-old San Jose swimmer gave her first published interview about the 10-month ordeal that ended with her coach in prison and the country's top competitive swimming organization re-examining how it protects young swimmers from suffering similar abuse.

April 8, 2010
ESPN interviews Chuck Wielgus for Outside the Lines. Wielgus states that USA Swimming did not know of Andy King until his arrest in 2009.

April 9, 2010
ABC 20/20 reports that 36 USA Swim Coaches have been banned for life for molestation of swimmers. Wielgus is defensive in the story refusing to apologize to victims.

April 11, 2010
USA Swimming President Apologizes to Swimmers, Parents for Sex Abuse. Wielgus also posted a public letter on the USA Swimming website in which he promises to set up a sexual abuse hotline for swimmers , better background checks for potential coaches and a blacklist of all coaches who have been banned for life for molestation of swimmers.

April 15, 2010
Diana Nyad, one of the great long distance swimmers addresses the fact that she was sexually abused by her swim coach.

April 16, 2010
The media in Ireland reports that former Irish National Swim coach George Gibney, who fled Ireland facing sexual abuse charges from swimmers he coached, was hired at Jeffco Aquatics, outside Denver in the late 1990's.

April 17, 2010
Saturday Night Live mocks USA Swimming with a parody that compares them to the Catholic Church and Boy Scouts.

April 18, 2010
USS unveils seven point plan. The emergency teleconference was convened on a Sunday by the USA Swimming board.

April 19, 2010
Kansas City Attorney Lynn Johnson from the law firm of Shamberg, Johnson & Bergman files a lawsuit on behalf of a former swimmer who claims she was abused by her former coach Rob Mirande.

April 20, 2010
New York Times story quotes Wielgus as saying that no one had ever been suspended as a coach for code of conduct violation pending investigation. Later that day they suspended Coach Rob Mirande after the Kansas City lawsuit story was broadcast nationally.

April 21, 2010
Ryan Scott Adkins was charged with two counts of predatory criminal sexual assault.He is a former vice president of the Oak Forest Barracudas swim club and also an official with USA Swimming.

April 22, 2010
Attorney Lynn Johnson sends a three-page letter to Holme Roberts & Owen partner Richard Young, the outside general counsel for USA Swimming, offering expert professionals to draft a viable plan to stop sexual abuse. To date there has been no response back to the offer.

April 23, 2010
Jesse Stovall, a USA Swimming coach, pleaded no contest to having sex with one of his underage star swimmers.

April 28, 2010
Mike Saltzstein, former USA Swimming vice president, sends his concerns in an April 28 letter to USA Swimming Executive Director Chuck Wielgus. Saltzstein urged the organization to take tough action immediately, Wielgus declined to discuss Saltzstein's recommendations or criticism.

May 1, 2010
USA Swimming's board of directors adopt four measures in support of the seven-point pla.

May 9, 2010
ESPN reports on "Swimming's Dirty Little Secret". Wielgus admits to not having contacted Deena Deardurff-Schmidt after her press conference and admits to not knowing about Andy King until his arrest in 2009.

May 20, 2010
Two longtime swimming officials claim they lost prestigious positions for speaking out against the way the sport's governing body handled sexual abuse cases, and they've gone to the U.S. Olympic Committee seeking to be reinstated.

May 25, 2010
Banned list of coaches released. Former Team Director Everett Uchiyama is on the list. The County Club in Colorado Springs where Uchiyama has been working since his resignation from USA Swimming says that USA Swimming provided the reference for his hiring. Wielgus denies that anyone at USA Swimming provided such a reference.

May 27, 2010
The U.S. Olympic Committee has started a team charged with streamlining guidelines for Olympic national governing bodies to follow in enhancing safe training environments. This marks the USOC's most concerted effort to offer some guidance.

June 23, 2010
Pat Hogan, a high-ranking USA Swimming official recommended former national team director Everett Uchiyama for a job, less than a year after Uchiyama was banned for life by the organization for having a sexual relationship with an underage swimmer. USA Swimming refuses to comment.

June 27, 2010
E-mails show USA Swimming kept sexual abuse complaints about San Jose coach Andy King confidential. Top officials received at least two abuse complaints about King before he was arrested years later in San Jose for molesting a young swimmer, but they failed to investigate the claims and urged one of them be kept confidential.