The Washington Post is reporting today that swim coach Rick Curl of the Curl-Burke Swim Club faces a permanent ban following allegations that Curl molested a 13-year-old girl beginning in 1983. The former swimmer produced a settlement agreement, signed by Curl, in which Curl agreed to pay her $150,000 for remaining silent about being molested. The Washington Post reports that USA Swimming has called for an emergency hearing before its National Board of Review to consider banning Curl for life.
Attorney Robert Allard of Cerri, Boskovich & Allard, who represents the victim, says that USA Swimming has known about Curl for years. Curl was referenced in the Jane Doe amended lawsuit filed in March of 2010. Despite USA Swimming having knowledge of Curl’s rumored past, Curl attended last month’s U.S. Olympic trials in Omaha on a coaching credential.
Noah Rucker, a 39-year-old coach affiliated with the Curl-Burke Swim Club, was arrested last month on three counts of illegal sexual contact with a swimmer he had coached more than a decade earlier at Madison High School in Vienna, Virginia.
According to his website, the Curl-Burke Swim Club is one of the largest in the country, with 950 swimmers.
Mr. Allard has been honored as California Lawyer of the Year in 2012 for his work in exposing the USA Swimming cover-up and sexual molestation scandal. Mr. Allard encourages anyone with information on the USA Swimming molestation scandal to call 408-289-1417. You may also fill out the case evaluation form to your right.