Lifetime Ban on Allegedly Abusive Figure Skating Coach Richard Callaghan Overturned
REVERSAL
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A lifetime ban against a figure skating coach who was accused of sexual misconduct was overturned Monday, ABC News reports. A sexual misconduct watchdog for the U.S. Olympic Committee, U.S. Center for SafeSport, reportedly notified U.S. Figure Skating that the penalties against coach Richard Callaghan were reduced after he appealed the ban to an arbitrator. Callaghan now faces a three-year suspension, 15-year probation, and 100 hours of community service. SafeSport imposed the ban in August after conducting an 18-month investigation into allegations of Callaghan’s behavior—including “sexual misconduct involving [a] minor,” physical, and emotional misconduct.
Former skater Adam Schmidt filed a lawsuit in August claiming he suffered “numerous sexual assaults” at the hands of Callaghan between 1999 to 2001. Another former skater, Craig Maurizi, made similar claims about Callaghan in 1999. Maurizi was allegedly abused by Callaghan between 1977 to 1986, and he filed a grievance with U.S. Figure Skating on the matter that included accounts of several others who said they experienced or witnessed the coach’s abuse. However, U.S. Figure Skating allegedly dismissed the grievance because the misconduct was not reported within 60 days. The organization and Callaghan have denied any wrongdoing.