Former USA Diving, Ohio State Club Diving Coach Pleads Guilty to Sexual Abuse of Teen Swimmer
JUSTICE
REUTERS/Alessandro Bianchi
A former USA Diving and Ohio State club diving coach pleaded guilty on Thursday to two counts of sexual battery over the abuse of diver and former Olympic hopeful Estee Pryor. Pryor filed suit against Will Bohonyi in July 2018; the lawsuit accused both organizations of ignoring her allegations against the coach. Pryor has said she was 16 years old when she first met Bohonyi, who quickly began pressuring her for sex. “We are relieved that the criminal case is over,” attorney Robert Allard, who represents Pryor, said in a statement to The Daily Beast. “Now is the time to hold USA Diving responsible for failing to fulfill its mandatory reporter responsibilities and protect young minor divers entrusted to its care from a known predator.”
He added, “The fact remains that most if not all of the countless sexual assaults and rapes committed by this pedophile would have been prevented if USA Diving, similar to USA Swimming and USA Gymnastics, did not place its own selfish interests of maximizing revenue generation over the safety of children.” Bohonyi faces up to 10 years in prison as part of his plea deal. He was fired by Ohio State in 2014 and banned from coaching USA Diving.