US Figure Skating Suspends Coach Amid Sex Abuse Investigation

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO — World renowned Olympics figure skating coach Richard Callaghan has been suspended pending a new investigation by the U.S. Center for SafeSport, the U.S. Olympics Committee’s watchdog group, of decades-old sexual misconduct allegations by several male athletes.

Callaghan, who coached Tara Lipinski to an Olympic gold medal at the Nagano, Japan, Olympics a decade ago, continued as a coach for U.S. Figure Skating despite allegations that date back to 1977, ABC News reported.

U.S. Figure Skating, the sport’s governing body, added Callaghan’s name to a list of suspended or banned coaches, athletes and others on Wednesday night.

In a statement Friday, U.S. Figure skating said:

“U.S. Figure Skating suspended the membership of Richard Callaghan on March 6, 2018, in compliance with the policies and procedures of the U.S. Center for SafeSport.This action prohibits Callaghan from participating, in any capacity, in any activity or competition authorized by, organized by, or under the auspices of U.S. Figure Skating, the U.S. Olympic Committee and all USOC-member National Governing Bodies, including U.S. Figure Skating-member clubs and/or organizations. As the U.S. Center for SafeSport has exclusive jurisdiction and adjudication of this matter, U.S. Figure Skating will have no further comment.”

Among those who have accused Callaghan is Craig Maurizi, who said in a 1999 complaint that he was 15 when Callaghan exposed his genitals to him in 1992.

ABC News said its investigation showed U.S. Figure Skating did not discipline Callaghan after several athletes accused him of sexual misconduct or abuse, citing bylaws requiring those alleged violations be reported within 60 days.

Maurizi, who was Callaghan’s student and then a coaching colleague, told The New York Times that Callaghan abused his authority and initiated a full sexual relationship with him in 1999. Callaghan has denied that.

Maurizi told ABC the suspension is “a great step in the right direction,” but declined to say if he had filed a new complaint with SafeSport.

Callaghan, who has retired to Florida, told ABC he hadn’t been notified of the suspension.

“I have not been given any information about this so I really can’t make a comment,” Callaghan said. “No one’s notified me, I just saw a note on a website somewhere.”

Champions of America, which offers private figure skating lessons to people of all ages, was still listing him as chief operating officer Friday morning.

The investigation into Callaghan’s conduct is another black eye for beleaguered U.S. Olympics, already under a cloud for its handling of the Larry Nassar sex abuse scandal. Nassar, a once prominent sports doctor for elite gymnasts and now convicted pedophile, molested hundreds of gymnasts over decades, and both the U.S. Olympic Committee and USA Gymnastics did nothing to stop him, several Olympic gymnasts have said.

Photo: In this Jan. 10, 1998, file photo, Tara Lipinski looks at the results of her routine with coach Richard Callaghan at the US Figure Skating Championships at the CoreStates Center in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Jamie Squire /Allsport via Getty Images)