Two brave women have stepped forward to file a lawsuit against their former ice skating coach, a former Olympic figure skater, alleging years of sexual abuse. Shockingly, the lawsuit claims that this misconduct should have been apparent to other adults in their lives.
The plaintiffs are referred to as “Jane Doe 1” and “Jane Doe 2” in the lawsuit, which was filed in Columbia, South Carolina, on January 24. To protect their identities, the defendants are also given anonymous names. They include the coach, known as “John Roe,” the “ABC Skating Federation” based in Colorado Springs, Colorado, and the “XYZ Skating Rink Inc.” in Irmo, South Carolina, where the coach was allegedly employed.
Although the lawsuit does not explicitly name the “ABC Skating Federation,” it is worth noting that U.S. Figure Skating, the governing body of the sport, is based in Colorado Springs. NBC News attempted to reach out to U.S. Figure Skating for comment, but representatives were unavailable at the time.
According to the lawsuit, the accused coach no longer resides in South Carolina and has since relocated to Nevada. The ordeal started when he began grooming Jane Doe 1 in 2020, lavishing her with inappropriate praise. This persistent pattern of manipulation culminated in a violent incident where he raped her at a hotel on January 28, 2023.
Jane Doe 2, on the other hand, started being coached by the defendant in 2018 when she was just 14 years old. The lawsuit alleges that the coach consistently made derogatory comments about her body, shamed her when she didn’t comply with his dietary instructions, and even touched her inappropriately in various ways. As a result, she developed an eating disorder and body dysmorphia, which she continues to struggle with to this day.
The lawsuit further claims that by 2021, the trauma inflicted by the coach had taken such a toll on Jane Doe 2’s mental well-being that she experienced a complete breakdown and quit figure skating altogether. It also accuses both the figure skating governing body and the rink operators of being aware of the coach’s inappropriate behavior towards children and young adults under his mentorship, yet failing to fulfill their duty of protecting them.
The lawsuit concludes with a powerful statement, asserting that both the “ABC Skating Federation” and “XYZ Skating Rink Inc.” should have known that allowing a sexual predator to be certified as a skating coach and employed in an environment filled with vulnerable children and young adults would inevitably result in harm to this vulnerable population.
This distressing revelation further emphasizes the importance of creating safe spaces within the world of sports, where young athletes can pursue their dreams without fear of exploitation or abuse. It is a stark reminder that even those we admire for their exceptional talent and achievements can be capable of unspeakable acts. Let us hope that justice will be served and that this lawsuit brings about the necessary changes to prevent similar incidents in the future.
Source: F5mag.com