US Olympics Sexual Abuse

Team USA Olympic Swimmers Compete in Safer Environment

Published on: August 1, 2024 | By Cerri, Boskovich & Allard, LLP

USA Swimming Olympians now compete in a much safer environment thanks to 15 years of increased awareness and efforts to prevent sexual abuse and a commitment to change a culture that valued medals over athlete safety.

Fifteen years ago, the arrest of swim coach Andy King for sexually abusing a 14-year-old girl he coached in San Jose marked a turning point. The survivor, represented by attorney Robert Allard of Cerri, Boskovich & Allard, catalyzed a movement that has significantly improved safety in USA Swimming.

“USA Swimming and Olympic sports would not be safer without the courage of Jane Doe coming forward in 2010 and publicly sharing her story with the national news media,” Allard says. ” This revelation prompted other athletes to speak out, leading to the imprisonment of top coaches and a comprehensive overhaul of USA Swimming.”

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USOPC Sexual Abuse

Published on: April 25, 2023 | By Cerri, Boskovich & Allard, LLP

The United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) is the governing body for the Olympic movement in the United States. Its mission is to promote and support Olympic and Paralympic sports in the country, as well as to ensure the safety and well-being of the athletes who participate in these sports.

Unfortunately, the USOPC has been the subject of numerous allegations of sexual abuse and misconduct over the years. These allegations have highlighted the need for better safeguards and protections for athletes and a more robust response to incidents of abuse.

Our law firm holds the USOPC accountable for the sexual abuse of athletes

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Fighting for Olympic silver medalist Terin Humphrey

Published on: September 26, 2020 | By Cerri, Boskovich & Allard, LLP

When former Michigan State and USA Gymnastics doctor Larry Nasser admitted to sexually assaulting ten young gymnasts, he was sentenced to up to 175 years, meaning he’s expected to die in prison.

Since the Nasser scandal broke in 2016, at least 250 women say they were sexually assaulted by Nasser beginning in 1992.

One more victim has come forward: Gymnast Terin Humphrey, who won two silver medals at the 2004 Summer Olympics.

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Ariana Kukors Smith Settlement Against USA Swimming

Published on: September 26, 2020 | By Cerri, Boskovich & Allard, LLP

The sexual abuse lawsuit brought forth by Olympian Ariana Kukors Smith has been resolved nearly two years after Mrs. Kukors Smith filed the action. The monetary settlement reached by USA Swimming’s insurance companies and Mrs. Kukors Smith will allow the 2012 Olympian to re-focus on the sport that she loves and to begin healing.

“I am glad that we were able to come to a resolution to this difficult process. As I begin the next chapter of my life, I hope that these last two years, along with the efforts of so many others, will help to provide athletes with a safer environment in which to compete,” Mrs. Kukors Smith said.

USA Swimming added the following: Throughout this process, Mrs. Kukors Smith has shown incredible strength and bravery and offered a powerful voice to all survivors. In sharing her story, Mrs. Kukors Smith thrust the very important subject matter of sexual abuse within youth serving organizations into focus and furthered important dialogue about the continued need for robust athlete protection policies and strong athlete and parent education.

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USA Swimming Sexual Abuse Lawsuits

Published on: September 13, 2020 | By Cerri, Boskovich & Allard, LLP

Three lawsuits filed against USA Swimming allege it enabled sexual predator-coaches to abuse young girls

Six victims identify former coaches Everett Uchiyama, Mitch Ivey and Andy King as their sexual abusers; King is a convicted child molester who is serving 40 years for his crimes.

The three lawsuits that were filed in early June 2020 are the latest volley against USA Swimming, which has come under fire for decades for condoning a culture that allowed young girls to be repeatedly abused by their coaches.

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Lawsuit Charges USA Swimming Responsible for Sex Abuse of Olympian Ariana Kukors Smith

Published on: May 23, 2018 | By Cerri, Boskovich & Allard, LLP

Olympian Ariana Kukors Smith, in a lawsuit filed in California, alleges that her swim coach sexually abused her as a minor, and that the sport’s governing body covered up the abuse. Attorney Robert Allard, representing Kukors Smith, is suing USA Swimming for the abuse she alleges she suffered by her swim coach, Sean Hutchison. Mr. Allard was joined at the press conference to announce the lawsuit by legal team members attorney Ray Mendoza and sex crimes investigator Michael Leininger.

The lawsuit claims USA Swimming manipulated background check procedures as a method of covering up Hutchison’s actions and mishandled the investigation into the allegations against the swim coach.

Kukors Smith is a 2012 Olympian. Mr. Allard stated in a press conference that the goal of the lawsuit was to force USA Swimming to “accept responsibility for allowing, and in fact, enabling a known predator coach to molest for almost a decade sexually, my client Ariana Smith…”

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USOC Continues to Address Child Sexual Abuse Reports

Published on: March 18, 2012 | By Cerri, Boskovich & Allard, LLP

More than one year after molestation victim attorney Robert Allard brought forth legal claims against USA Swimming and exposed the problem of child molestation in its coaching ranks, the US Olympic Committee (USOC) is finally following through on its recommendation to standardize child molestation policies among its National Governing Bodies.

The U.S. Olympic Committee has distributed a new handbook, “Recognizing, Reducing and Responding to Misconduct in Sport: Creating Your Strategy”, to ensure safer training environments.

The USOC formed a task force last year which recommended that national governing bodies adopt standardized policies following a number of sexual abuse and molestation cases against USA Swimming filed by a legal team led by attorney Robert Allard.

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