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Puckguy19
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Re: USA Hockey to contact families whose children attended camp staffed by Aldrich

Post by Puckguy19 » Sat Feb 12, 2022 7:43 pm

greybeard58 wrote:
Tue Nov 09, 2021 1:24 pm
USA Hockey to contact families whose children attended camp staffed by Aldrich

USA Hockey is planning to contact the families of players who attended development camps and training sessions staffed by former Chicago Blackhawks video coach Brad Aldrich, a spokesman said, after TSN asked the governing body for U.S. amateur hockey about Aldrich’s role at a week-long hockey camp in 2008.

Aldrich was one of the U-14 coaches at a USA Hockey camp in Rochester, NY, that ran July 12-18, 2008. The camp had about 100 attendees who stayed with coaches in a dormitory, said a person familiar with the matter.

“We are in the process of collecting the contact information for all of the family members of players who attended camps where Brad Aldrich coached,” USA Hockey spokesman Dave Fischer said in a brief phone interview.

Fischer said the federation plans to advise families about how they can go about making abuse reports and what counselling services are available to them. He did not respond to a follow-up question by email about why USA Hockey did not contact families after Aldrich was convicted of sexually assaulting a teenager in 2014.

Aldrich was allowed to resign from the Blackhawks in the summer of 2010 after two seasons as a video coach with the NHL team after Kyle Beach reported to Blackhawks management that he had been sexually assaulted by Aldrich.

Aldrich moved on to work in the hockey department at Miami University in 2012, where he allegedly assaulted two men, according to a recent independent investigation commissioned by the school.

In 2013, he pleaded guilty of fourth degree criminal sexual conduct involving a minor and later was sentenced to nine months in jail and 60 months’ probation for abusing a then-16-year-old high school hockey player in Houghton, Mich.
Aldrich worked as a video coordinator for the University of Notre Dame’s hockey program from 2006-08.

He started working for USA Hockey’s national development camps in 2005 as a coach for the U-14, U-15 and U-17 programs, according to a resume Aldrich provided Miami University in 2012.

USA Hockey to contact families whose children attended camp staffed by Aldrich
Read more: https://www.tsn.ca/usa-hockey-to-contac ... -1.1716273


November 2021

Dear Former Camp Participant (or parent of former camp participant)
You are receiving this letter as our records indicate you or your son was a participant either as a player, official, coach or staff member at a USA Hockey national select camp between 2005 and 2008. You may have heard or read recent news related to abuse of a former Chicago Blackhawks player by a video coach named Bradley Aldrich. While we have never received any reports of abuse by Aldrich during any USA Hockey activity, he was involved in a USA Hockey select camp in which you/your son participated. We are reaching out to former camp participants to make them aware of how they can report if they were subject to or were aware of any abuse while at the camp or at any other time.
USA Hockey stands with and supports survivors of sexual abuse. There is absolutely no place for sexual abuse or misconduct in hockey, or anywhere. The victims of Mr. Aldrich have been incredibly strong in coming forward with their stories in order to help prevent abuse of others.
The U.S. Center for SafeSport was established in 2017 and, under federal law, has exclusive jurisdiction to investigate and resolve allegations of sexual misconduct or abuse occurring in national governing bodies that are part of the Olympic movement, including USA Hockey. If you or someone you know were subject to abuse or are aware of any abuse occurring at the camp you attended (or any other camp or program of USA Hockey), then we would strongly encourage you to report the abuse to the Center for SafeSport.
A report can be made by calling the Center directly at 833-587-7233, or by submitting a report online at https://uscenterforsafesport.org/report-a-concern/.
Please also know that a report can be submitted anonymously, and any conversation can also be held on an anonymous or confidential basis. A confidential discussion means that your name would not be disclosed to third parties except with your permission, while an anonymous report or discussion does not disclose your name to anyone.
If you would prefer to contact USA Hockey directly, you can feel free to contact our Safe Sport Program Manager, Don Pino at Don.Pino@usahockey.org or 719-538-1150.
Best regards,

Pat Kelleher
Executive Director

greybeard58
Posts: 2511
Joined: Sat Aug 21, 2004 11:40 pm

"the burden is on SafeSport to show they can do the job, which so far they haven't."

Post by greybeard58 » Fri Feb 25, 2022 6:52 pm

"the burden is on SafeSport to show they can do the job, which so far they haven't."

The U.S. Center for SafeSport, a watchdog organization created in 2017 to police issues related to sexual abuse and other misconduct in Olympic sports and its amateur pipeline, is still struggling to gain the trust of the community it is designed to protect.

The center is a relatively small outfit with a big mission: "ending abuse in sport." It is structured to take allegations of abuse and misconduct out of the hands of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and its national governing bodies, handle them free from the influence of money and medals, and maintain a public database of sanctioned individuals -- a much-needed cure for sporting institutions beset by an epidemic of sexual abuse cases.

But confidential documents obtained by ESPN and ABC News coupled with more than a dozen interviews with athletes, attorneys and lawmakers over the course of an 18-month investigation paint a portrait of an organization hampered by significant legal setbacks, disputes over transparency and lingering questions about its independence.

In some extreme cases, that system has allowed alleged serial abusers to return to their sports with little to no public warning, undermining the faith of some athletes and their advocates in the center's work, which in turn threatens the center's ability to function effectively.

Among the findings:

• Investigative reports and arbitration decisions reveal several instances in which the center's investigators substantiated allegations against prominent coaches, compiling detailed dossiers of alleged sexual misconduct that initially led to lifetime bans from their respective sports, only to see those punishments set aside after appeals to independent arbitrators.

• The center's record in defending its sanctions on appeal has hurt its credibility with some athletes and advocates: Nearly half (42%) of those who have completed an appeal of a SafeSport ruling have had their sanctions modified, reduced or removed. ESPN and ABC News have identified six of those cases, but there are as many as two dozen other individuals the center initially found to have violated their rules who are now either eligible to participate in their sports or might become eligible to do so after their reduced sanctions expire.

• In some instances, coaches initially found by the center to have sexually assaulted athletes on multiple occasions were allowed to return to their sports without any official public record of the claims made against them, even as their sports' national governing bodies paid millions of dollars to settle lawsuits related to their alleged sexual misconduct, potentially exposing the federations to additional liability for any future alleged misconduct. Leaders of those federations say they are concerned that the center's rules prevent them from taking their own measures to protect athletes from some individuals that they consider to be a risk.

• Athletes and others who have made allegations of abuse are prevented by the center from keeping investigative reports and findings about their case and prohibited from sharing SafeSport documents about their cases publicly. The center also has declined to share data with some prominent experts in the field of child protection seeking to collaborate on education and training efforts.

• Several prominent attorneys who represent athletes say that doubts about the center's motivations and efficacy have led them to advise their clients to decline to participate in its proceedings and seek justice elsewhere, limiting the center's access to cooperating witnesses and jeopardizing its ability to uphold sanctions.

• The center's largest source of funding is a fixed $20 million annual contribution from the USOPC. But ESPN and ABC News have learned that the USOPC raises part of that money from individual sports federations, which pay fees based on the number of allegations reported to the center and the amount of work required to resolve them. This funding model concerns some observers who believe it could incentivize federations to discourage reports of abuse because a higher number of reports would cost them more money. SafeSport officials, who have no control over how the USOPC raises those funds, are concerned about that perception as well, but the USOPC continues to charge the federations for reported allegations.

SafeSport officials say the organization is trying to strike a delicate balance between fairness and safety, between privacy and transparency, between an individual's desire to compete or coach and a community's demand for protection. That it has been simultaneously criticized at times for being either too aggressive or not aggressive enough is evidence to some that it is navigating that difficult terrain effectively.

Its defenders often argue that the center is doing critically important work with limited resources under exceedingly difficult circumstances. It is not a law enforcement agency, though it is structured like one, but rather a sports investigative body. To maintain its legitimacy in that community, the center needs to be perceived as fair: tenacious in protecting young athletes while providing due process to those who face reputation-ruining allegations that might prevent them from competing or coaching.

Since its inception, the center has struggled to build a reputation for being effective and trustworthy. That challenge continues as the organization approaches its fifth anniversary, with two key legislators in Congress wondering whether the center is capable of solving the problem it has been entrusted to address.

In an exclusive interview with ESPN and ABC News conducted over the summer and confirmed last week, U.S. Senators Richard Blumenthal (D-Conn.) and Jerry Moran (R-Kan.), who co-authored a law that increased the center's annual funding in an attempt to fortify its independence, said they feared their efforts to make the center more than "a paper tiger" might have fallen short.

"The U.S. Center for SafeSport has a tremendous responsibility," Moran said. "And to date, they have not demonstrated their capabilities to the degree that we need, that would protect athletes."

IN THE WAKE of the disturbing revelations surrounding disgraced USA Gymnastics team doctor Larry Nassar, Blumenthal and Moran launched a sweeping investigation in 2018 into systemic abuse in amateur sports and later spearheaded the effort to retool the U.S. Center for SafeSport, an agency previously empowered by Congress to adjudicate abuse cases, in an effort to provide more protection to American athletes.

In October 2020, then-President Donald Trump signed the legislation they co-authored directing the USOPC to provide the Denver-based organization with $20 million in additional annual funding, more than doubling its budget. That money represents the vast majority of the center's funding, with other contributions coming from federal grants and donations. (ESPN, through its corporate citizenship department, has awarded grants to the center; additionally, when ESPN awards grants to youth sports leagues and entities, it requires recipients to take SafeSport training.)

The center has the power to ban, suspend or otherwise limit an offender's participation in sport for violations of the SafeSport Code through a variety of sanctions ranging in severity from "permanent ineligibility" to probation. While the offender's penalty is in effect, the names of adults who are sanctioned by the center are listed on its public "Centralized Disciplinary Database," a resource for concerned members of the public and the parents of young athletes searching for a safe place for their children to train.

Even after legislative reviews and additional funding, many athletes and advocates continue to question the center's efficacy and the motivation behind its work. Olympic gold medalist Aly Raisman, who has emerged as one of the most outspoken critics of the USOPC over its handling of the alleged culture of abuse and impunity in its ranks, is one of them.

"If you're SafeSport, and you're funded by the organization you're investigating, they're likely not going to do the right thing," Raisman told lawmakers during testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee in September. "It's a complete mess, and the priority doesn't seem to be the safety and well-being of athletes."

And in a recent report published by Child USA, a national child protection think tank, authors examined the USOPC's response to the Nassar case and determined that its current policies and systems, including the U.S. Center for SafeSport, remain "woefully lacking in the basics needed to protect children from abuse and exploitation."

Dan Hill, who operates a Washington, D.C.-based public relations firm and serves as a spokesperson for the center, praised Raisman and other athletes who have spoken out about abuse and said the organization was "motivated to earn their trust."

Hill initially agreed to make Ju'Riese Colon, a longtime child safety advocate who took over as CEO of the center in 2019, available for an on-camera interview to answer questions from ESPN and ABC News about the state of the center's operation and the challenges it faces. Hill later canceled the interview on Colon's behalf, citing COVID-19 concerns, and over the next several months, rebuffed multiple requests to reschedule before canceling the interview altogether.

In a series of responses to dozens of written questions, Hill accused the networks of bias. He also defended the organization and its track record, conceding that the center is "not perfect" and "constantly changing" but touting the more than 1,000 sanctions it has issued to date.

"It is a first of its kind [organization] in the world, and it's four years in and taking on a massive challenge," Hill said. "There are growing pains. But the fact of the matter is it's an incredible success story."

Blumenthal and Moran, however, who were described by Hill as "real champions" of the center's mission, disagree, saying the organization has, so far, been a failure. "There is simply no way that SafeSport can be given a passing grade for how it has acted in the past," Blumenthal said. "It was a shell of what it should have been."

HEIDI GILBERT WAS eager to talk to SafeSport investigators when they took over her case in 2017. The former taekwondo champion recalled being "excited" and "confident" that a new watchdog organization was going to take charge of what was then an ongoing investigation being conducted by USA Taekwondo -- the sport's national governing body -- into sexual abuse allegations made against Olympic coach Jean Lopez.

Gilbert was 20 years old in 2002 when she won a gold medal at the Pan American Games in Ecuador. Her future in the sport was bright under Lopez, who is the oldest sibling of American taekwondo's most prominent and powerful family. But while celebrating her victory later that night, Gilbert said, Lopez sexually assaulted her in his hotel room. He sexually assaulted her again, she said, a year later at another competition in Germany.

Lopez denied any wrongdoing, but according to confidential documents obtained by ESPN and ABC News, SafeSport investigators found evidence of a "decades long pattern of sexual misconduct" in which Lopez abused his power to "groom, manipulate and, ultimately, sexually abuse younger female athletes." Gilbert was one of three female fighters who accused Lopez of misconduct and provided testimony to SafeSport investigators. In April 2018, the center banned Lopez from the sport for life.

"I made myself vulnerable. I had talked to these interviewers, I had shared my story with them, and I was like, 'Finally, this is going to come to light and there's going to be some sort of repercussion for their awful behavior,'" Gilbert said. "I felt like we were changing things and we were kind of the trailblazers for sexual misconduct that was happening in our sport."

But Lopez appealed the decision, so Gilbert's decade long pursuit of accountability wasn't over.

Just as an individual sanctioned by the World Anti-Doping Agency can appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport, individuals sanctioned by the center can appeal the center's rulings through an arbitration process. Independent arbitrators are provided by JAMS, an alternative dispute resolution service, and they review the case and issue a final, binding decision. In the appeal process, an attorney hired by the center argues via virtual videoconference to defend the organization's ruling, while the individual who has been sanctioned, usually with the help of an attorney, argues to have their punishment reduced or revoked. The initial claimant, someone like Gilbert, can testify as a witness and have a personal attorney present at the hearing, but only the center's attorney takes an active role in presenting a case to uphold a ruling or a sanction.

In December 2018, in a confidential arbitration hearing, an attorney for Lopez successfully argued to have his lifetime ban overturned, which cleared the way for his return to coaching and the removal of his name from the center's public database. No official record of the evidence SafeSport investigators gathered or explanation of the arbitrator's decision is available to the public. He remains suspended by World Taekwondo, the sport's international governing body, pending the outcome of its own investigation into his conduct, but according to his attorney he "remains free to participate in any taekwondo activity that does not require that he have an active license from World Taekwondo."

Gilbert, who also sued USA Taekwondo with four other women and recently reached a $6 million settlement, said she was shocked when she first learned about the outcome.

"I don't even think that there are words to describe my feelings. Furious? Disbelief?" Gilbert said. "How can you call yourself the Center for SafeSport?"

Gilbert is not alone. Critics point to several high-profile cases in which independent arbitrators overturned or significantly reduced sanctions against allegedly abusive coaches, devastating their accusers and undermining their faith in the center's ability to protect athletes. In an effort to provide due process to the accused, the center created rules for its arbitration process that some believe are creating an unfair path to overturn legitimate sanctions.

Figure skater-turned-coach Craig Maurizi first accused Olympic coach Richard Callaghan in 1999 of sexually abusing him when he was a young skater in the 1970s, but Callaghan issued adamant denials, and the skating federation dismissed the allegations without investigation, saying the allegations were time-barred. Nearly two decades later, in 2018, Maurizi submitted his allegations against Callaghan and the evidence he had collected to the center.

Callaghan continued to deny any wrongdoing, but confidential documents show that SafeSport investigators found that "over the course of two decades, [Callaghan] engaged in grooming behavior, non-contact behavior of a sexual nature, inappropriate physical contact, and sexual contact and intercourse, physical and emotional misconduct, and a pattern of exploitative and abusive conduct with young athletes he coached." In August 2019, he, too, was given a lifetime ban from the sport.

But Callaghan appealed, and four months later an independent arbitrator overturned the ban, instead imposing a three-year suspension related to allegations of physical and emotional abuse of other skaters he coached. Callaghan will be eligible to return to the ice later this year, when his name will also disappear from the center's database, despite U.S. Figure Skating having agreed to pay $1.45 million in 2021 to settle a lawsuit brought by one of his former skaters. U.S. Figure Skating is still facing a lawsuit filed by Maurizi. Attorneys for Callaghan did not respond to questions about his plans for the future. Maurizi said any lingering sense of vindication has evaporated, leaving little in its place.

"I'm not as mad as I should be," Maurizi told ABC News. "If I think about it for a moment, it's more because I just feel kind of hopeless, like there is no recourse for me, and there's really nowhere I can truly get justice."

Former equestrian rider KD, who asked to be identified by only her initials, said prominent riding coach Bob McDonald sexually abused her when she was a teenager working in his stable in the 1970s. After reading media accounts of other cases in the sport, she submitted her allegations to the center in 2019. McDonald denied any wrongdoing, but documents show that SafeSport investigators found that McDonald "engaged in sexual intercourse" with two minor athletes that "resulted in lasting, physical pain." As with Lopez and Callaghan, the center banned him from the sport for life.

But McDonald appealed, and the center issued an "administrative closure" of the case after learning that KD did not plan to participate in an arbitration hearing on the advice of her attorney. The closure meant McDonald's sanctions were lifted, his name was removed from the center's database and he was allowed to resume coaching. The administrative closure gave the center the option to reopen the case in the future. McDonald's attorney said after the closure that "he is free to participate fully in equestrian sport, and it is my understanding that he is doing so."

KD said the sudden reversal was a shock, but not a surprise.

"I was completely appalled," KD said. "However, by this time, I had read [about] several other instances of SafeSport doing this type of thing. So I wasn't completely surprised."

Confidential documents obtained by ESPN and ABC News reveal that the rationale behind those reversals did not resolve questions about whether those coaches continue to pose a safety risk to young athletes.

In Lopez's case, a panel of arbitrators wrote that they were "unable to [assess] the credibility" of the three witnesses who accused him of wrongdoing because they declined to testify at the hearing after their previous interviews with a SafeSport investigator "left numerous questions unanswered." Gilbert and her attorney say she offered to submit written testimony in lieu of telling her story in person again, an experience that can often be traumatizing for people who have been subjected to abuse.

In Callaghan's case, the arbitrator "acknowledge[d] and agree[d] that [Maurizi's] testimony confirms the sexual abuse occurred as described," but determined that he was bound to apply an "absurd and draconian" standard of corroborating evidence that was required by law at the time of the alleged abuse, which the center failed to meet.

The center reopened McDonald's case earlier this year after learning that KD, who had hired a new attorney, was now willing to participate in the arbitration hearing. According to the U.S. Equestrian Federation, arbitrators did not find sufficient evidence to uphold the sanctions against McDonald despite KD's willingness to participate. His initial ban was overturned this month.

"Per the federal law, USEF is bound by the arbitrator's decision," a spokesperson for the federation said. "We must abide by it."

KD died of cancer earlier this month before she was able to comment on the arbitrator's decision.

Those decisions put the center, the federations, athletes and their parents in a difficult position. Both USA Taekwondo and U.S. Figure Skating already have settled civil claims (without admitting wrongdoing) related to Lopez's and Callaghan's alleged abuse for millions of dollars. Under the center's rules, those federations are obliged to permit Lopez and Callaghan to continue coaching once their sanctions are lifted, possibly exposing future athletes to the risk of harm and the federations to additional liability.

Steve McNally, the executive director of USA Taekwondo, said the policy has left him with grave concerns about his ability to protect young athletes in his care.

"USA Taekwondo does not have any authority to act in a case where SafeSport has yet to take action, decides not to take action for any reason, or in which SafeSport has been unsuccessful in maintaining an imposed suspension," McNally told ESPN and ABC News. "USA Taekwondo is not permitted to investigate, adjudicate or in any way influence the outcome of any proceedings, and is legally bound by the result, however vulnerable a position that may leave the organization in."

U.S. Figure Skating officials did not respond to a request for comment.

ATTORNEYS REPRESENTING THE accused are adept at using the center's policies to their clients' advantage, especially when confronting older allegations of abuse. The center places no statute of limitations on reporting claims of misconduct. They issue sanctions based on a lower standard of proof than what would be used in a criminal case (a "preponderance of the evidence," or "more likely than not" vs. "beyond a reasonable doubt") and tout other trauma-informed policies and procedures designed to encourage athletes who make allegations of sexual abuse to participate in the process. But those victim-friendly thresholds have in some instances failed to hold up when a case is challenged in arbitration, especially when the alleged misconduct occurred before the establishment of the center in 2017.

Howard Jacobs, an attorney who specializes in defending sports figures in disciplinary proceedings, says he has represented dozens of clients accused of sexual misconduct, including Lopez and McDonald, and claims that he has navigated the center's process more than anyone outside the center itself.

In an interview with ESPN and ABC News, Jacobs said he tells his clients to expect a "one-sided" investigation and to assume the center will find a violation that leads to sanctions. They should expect to appeal to an independent arbitrator, he said, with whom their odds of success "switch dramatically" as arbitrators apply old standards created at a time when sexual abuse and misconduct was poorly understood.

"So there's no statute of limitations in the sense that there's [no] time bar in bringing the case, but if you have these old cases, then they have to prove essentially that there's a violation of the criminal law that was applicable at the time," Jacobs said. "That's where you can get into some kind of strange rules that have to be applied today, looking at standards from a long time ago."

His record, he said, speaks for itself. He has appealed 17 sanctions to arbitration on behalf of his clients, he said, and six have been fully reversed, five more have been "significantly" reduced, which leaves just six that were fully upheld by the arbitrator.

"These SafeSport cases, they're generally 'he said, she said' cases, and the rules don't provide a whole lot of guidance to the arbitrator as to what an appropriate sanction is," Jacobs said. "So the defense strategy in the majority of cases is kind of twofold: one, contesting that there was a violation, and then two, if there is a violation, contesting the severity of the sanction. There are some cases where the athlete or the coach says, 'Yes, I did this, but the penalty that you've imposed is crazy.' And so in those cases, there is a mechanism to just challenge the length of the sanction."

Hill, the center's spokesperson, acknowledged that cases like these are "frustrating," among the "tougher ones" the center handles, because the center is hamstrung by the rules it created in the interest of "fundamental fairness and notice" that require independent arbitrators to apply laws and policies in place at the time of the alleged misconduct.

"Given that there is no legal manner in which the center can retroactively enforce the SafeSport Code prior to its existence," Hill said, "it applies whatever rules, regulations and laws were on the books at the time, from sport policies to state and federal law."

He argued that the center is walking a legal tightrope, being as aggressive as it can be without violating a respondent's right to due process. Fundamentally altering those rules, he said, could lead to lawsuits from sanctioned individuals that would threaten the center's ability to continue doing its work.

"Federal law requires the center to provide respondents a hearing or arbitration to challenge the center's decision and sanction(s)," Hill said. "The center vigorously defends its decisions and sanctions at arbitration and is always disappointed when an arbitrator reduces or lifts our decision or sanction."

The individual who has presented the center's case in many of its arbitration hearings and helped to write the rules of the process is a Denver-based personal injury attorney named Joe Zonies. According to Hill, Zonies and his firm "played a critical role in the formation of the center, including the creation of the SafeSport Code," and "they continue to be a vital part of our organization."

The center paid Zonies' firm, which is located near the center's headquarters in Denver, more than $1.5 million in its first years of adjudicating cases, tax documents show, making him and his associates one of the organization's largest contractors to date. But the extent of his legal experience handling abuse cases remains unclear.

His website notes that "after spending several years acting and producing and directing music videos," he attended the University of Denver Sturm College of Law and later developed an expertise in mass tort litigation, particularly product liability cases involving pharmaceutical drugs and medical devices.

The website briefly mentions a "sports law" practice, including their representation of "a national sports organization regarding the creation and enforcement of codes of conduct to protect United States athletes," but highlights no previous work as a prosecutor or track record of litigation involving child sexual abuse, the center's primary jurisdiction.

Zonies did not respond to multiple requests for comment. Hill said the center hired Zonies after searching for a local firm with "well-rounded experience to handle all the issues that go along with launching a new nonprofit and developing one as unique as SafeSport." He said Zonies' experience with child abuse and sexual abuse cases includes a "favorable outcome" for a minor student against a teacher "more than 20 years ago," a "positive outcome" for an intern against an employer in a sexual harassment case, and other sexual harassment matters in employment settings "on both sides of the equation." He did not provide any further details about specific cases.

In response to questions from ESPN and ABC News, Hill suggested that there is perhaps some misunderstanding about the center's "premise," which is to be a "fair process" for all participants in sport, one that balances competing interests and ensures, for example, that an athlete's "right to compete wouldn't be interfered with by someone making a false allegation."

"SafeSport is not a D.A.'s office," Hill said. "And there are people who want to judge it by D.A. standards. ... The center's role is not to be a prosecutor. It's to be an arbiter -- a fair, objective one, that enforces its code, and holds people accountable, which it has."

The appeals process, however, requires SafeSport's attorneys to argue for the merits of its sanctions in front of an arbitrator much like a prosecutor arguing criminal charges in front of a judge and jury. Blumenthal, a former federal prosecutor and state attorney general, suggested that the center's role when defending its sanctions in arbitration is indeed an adversarial one, and the right to due process is no excuse for the failure to remove dangerous individuals from sport.

"A prosecutor who loses based on a technicality has lost one way or another," Blumenthal said. "There's no point in being a paper tiger here. ... The point here is that these abusers need to be ridden from the system, and they need to do it in a way that comports with due process, but that's the job of SafeSport to do it right."

The center noted that reversals of its decisions in arbitration are rare, outliers among the hundreds of sanctions it has issued in the past four-plus years. Hill initially told ESPN and ABC News that of more than 900 sanctions eligible for appeal, less than 1% of sanctions have been reversed in arbitration.

But most of the center's sanctions follow some form of law enforcement action. At the time Hill provided those statistics, the center's public database listed a total of 854 sanctions adjudicated by the center; of those listed, 628 cases, or 73.5%, include some type of "criminal disposition," which means that the sanctioned individual had been found to have violated the law, triggering near-automatic discipline by the center that would be difficult to appeal.

When pressed for more specific data, Hill said a total of 75 individuals had appealed their sanctions, and in 31 of the 73 cases that have been resolved, or 42%, either an independent arbitrator overturned or modified them or the center issued an "administrative closure" before the arbitrator's decision was issued.

Ten sanctions had been fully reversed, Hill said, while 18 were modified, and three were withdrawn "because a claimant did not participate, and the center could not prove the case without the claimant." Modified sanctions can include significant reductions in penalties, as was the case with Callaghan's lifetime ban being replaced by a three-year suspension; they also can include changes to penalties that leave a lifetime ban intact, as was the case with an arbitrator reportedly dismissing a less serious violation against Alberto Salazar but upholding other more serious violations. Two of the appeals remain in progress. The remaining 42 sanctions were upheld or the appeal was withdrawn by the responding party.

Hill touted this record as a success but acknowledged that "many" of the cases that were overturned involve the most egregious forms of misconduct in the center's purview.

"The center has been extremely successful at arbitration, " Hill said, "especially considering that often the cases that go to arbitration are the most difficult, including many involving allegations that are decades-old allegations of child sexual abuse."

But arbitrators overturned sanctions in at least one more recent case, in which the center did not have to meet the standards of outdated laws.

In July, arbitrators removed the two-year suspension of figure skating coach John Zimmerman, who was accused of discouraging a 13-year-old female skater from reporting illicit photos she allegedly received from French Olympian Morgan Cipres while he was training at a rink in Florida. (Cipres, who has declined to discuss the case, cannot be sanctioned by the center because he is not a member of U.S. Figure Skating.)

During the investigation, Zimmerman conceded that he failed to report the allegations to the center and to law enforcement, according to confidential documents obtained by ESPN and ABC News, but denied allegations that he tried to persuade the young skater to remain quiet by threatening her career.

Arbitrators found that the center's months long investigation did not find sufficient evidence to uphold their findings, and his punishment was reduced to one year of probation due to his failure to report the incident. His name was immediately removed from the center's database, and he was permitted to return to coaching. An attorney for Zimmerman declined to comment on the case.

Andrea Lewis, a former Florida prosecutor who represented the young female skater in the case, said her client went through the center's process with hopes of protecting others from the same treatment she allegedly received. She said the organization's policies, which prohibit participants from keeping or sharing any of SafeSport's case files, made a painful process feel unproductive.

"It was really kind of shameful to be frank with you," Lewis said. "I don't blame people for not wanting to participate if this is going to be the outcome."

When the center's decisions are overturned or sanctions modified, the center's rules keep investigative findings and independent arbitration decisions confidential, which effectively shields both the details of any underlying misconduct and the rationale behind a reversal or reduction of sanctions from public view.

Those documents are initially shared with the involved parties, but the files become inaccessible to anyone outside the center after 10 days. Sharing them with third parties would constitute a violation of the center's rules, subject to its own penalties.

In some cases, that has allowed accused parties to use the confidentiality of the process to mischaracterize the nature of the evidence. Following the center's administrative closure of his case, for example, McDonald stated publicly that the allegations against him were "proven false," prompting a rare public statement from the center refuting that claim.

"I think the lack of transparency is terrible," KD, the former equestrian, said. "With the court system, people would have the benefit of knowledge of what the case involved, whereas with SafeSport, that anonymity, it's not helping the victims."

Even some of the center's apparent victories raise questions about its policies. In one of the most high-profile cases the organization has handled, the center banned famed running coach Alberto Salazar from the sport for life and later convinced an arbitrator to uphold the sanction despite Salazar's appeal. But the categories of misconduct listed on the center's public database are broad -- sexual, physical, emotional -- so until the details of Salazar's arbitration decision were leaked to The New York Times, the public was unaware that he had faced multiple allegations of sexual assault, which he has denied, in addition to making sexually inappropriate comments.

Hill, the center's spokesperson, declined to comment on the Lopez, Callaghan, McDonald or Zimmerman matters, and rejected a request to identify other individuals who SafeSport investigators believed present a danger to young athletes but are nevertheless permitted to return to competition, citing the center's policy of not discussing specific cases.

ESPN and ABC News have identified media reports of three additional cases in which arbitrators overturned sanctions against taekwondo fighter Steven Lopez (Jean's brother), weightlifter Colin Burns and an unidentified cycling coach, which leaves about two dozen such cases completely outside the public view. Steven Lopez has denied wrongdoing, while Burns has declined to comment on the matter.

Lewis, the former prosecutor, said she did not understand why the center does not make redacted copies of their findings available to the public or give claimants an option to share some of that information if they want to do so.

"Your heart is in the right place. You're trying to stop abuse," she said. "But you can't do it under a shroud of secrecy."

HILL, THE CENTER'S spokesperson, said the center's policies and procedures reflect its efforts to "balance the need for providing information with the requirement to protect the privacy and safety of persons involved in its processes."

Strict confidentiality, he said, primarily benefits reporting parties, many of whom are members of a tight-knit sporting community who simply do not want to share their stories publicly or fear that doing so could make them vulnerable to some form of retaliation. Anything less, he said, could chill reports of abuse.

Hill suggested that releasing an underlying report to the public, as is often done in the criminal and civil court systems, could violate a victim's expectation of privacy or even endanger a witness who supported an allegation even if their personal information was redacted. He said the policies were intentionally designed to be different from civil and criminal courts in an effort to provide an additional, trauma-informed option for victims to report abuse.

The center's public database, he said, which is limited to providing the offender's name, the length of his or her sanction and the category of the offense only while the sanction is in effect, offers enough information to serve as a warning to the public.

"The center's centralized disciplinary database (CDD) is a first-of-its-kind public resource aimed at improving safety and accountability," Hill said. "It includes certain temporary measures and sanctions involving adult participants, including those with lifetime bans (permanently ineligible) from participation in sport. This level of transparency and accountability is not common in most other administrative systems."

But when a lifetime ban is lifted or a lesser sanction has run its course, the individual's name is removed from the center's public database, often leaving no public record that an allegation had even been made. If not for leaks to the media, many of the underlying findings supporting sanctions against these coaches might have remained hidden from their prospective athletes and their parents.

In those cases, the severity of the alleged misconduct, the evidence gathered by investigators and whatever aggravating or mitigating factors might have influenced the independent arbitrator's decision remain unknown and unavailable to anyone but the involved parties and the center.

Moran called on the center to be more "public in their process" to fulfill its basic obligations to young athletes and let them and their parents "know who they need to be wary of."

"Once the decision is made, then the public, all of us, Congress and the American people, moms and dads, need to know the result so we can protect our kids," Moran said. "Silence does not meet the needs of the American young athlete and the mom and dad who want to protect their son or daughter. It allows the bad behavior to continue."

The lack of transparency, Moran said, undermines the organization's core functions. Engagement with the public, he added, is the best way to build public trust in the organization and its capabilities.

"SafeSport cannot do its job, simply cannot do its job, unless it makes its work public," Moran said. "...I would encourage the U.S. Center for SafeSport to outline what they do, to outline their accomplishments, to admit their faults, their failures."

Frustration about the center's approach to sharing information extends beyond athletes and their attorneys. According to several experts at the intersection of sports and child protection, the center does not exhibit the type of collaboration typically seen by groups that are earnestly working to end abuse in sports. Hill refuted this claim, saying the center is involved in ongoing conversations with other countries, "many of which reached out to the center on their own to better understand our model and learn from our experience."

Sandra Kirby is a professor emerita at the University of Winnipeg who has studied sexual harassment and safeguarding in sports for more than three decades and was part of the research group that might have first coined the term "SafeSport." She also serves as an adviser to SafeSport International, an abuse prevention agency that is not affiliated with the U.S. Center for SafeSport but is seeking to influence policy and promote research on the global stage. She said she believes the key to keeping sports safe is that all entities have to be working together "under the same tent."

The U.S. Center for SafeSport, she said, has not engaged with that collective effort.

"They're not very transparent. You can't really see how the case has progressed through, and whether the athletes feel like they get justice at the end," Kirby said. "I don't have any knowledge inside, but I think the potential for the U.S. Center for SafeSport is so much greater. They could be really doing great work and instead it looks to me like it's not transparent."

Nancy Hogshead-Makar, an attorney and Olympic gold medalist who is a leading advocate for the protection of women and girls in sports, said she has been frustrated with a lack of transparency from the center's leaders since its inception. Hogshead-Makar said she and Marci Hamilton, CEO of the child abuse and neglect think tank Child USA, have tried on multiple occasions to offer insights about potential changes to its rules or exchange information for research purposes with SafeSport executives without success.

She tried for months, she said, to obtain the center's data about the gender and the role -- coach, athlete, administrator -- of individuals accused of abuse or misconduct. She believes this is vital information that would be helpful in determining the greatest risks to athletes and tailoring education and prevention efforts accordingly. She says Colon, SafeSport's CEO, responded to her but did not provide the information she wanted. Hogshead-Makar said she doesn't believe SafeSport made sufficient efforts to consult with experts in victim advocacy when designing its rules, resulting in a "defendant-friendly" posture that makes it unnecessarily difficult to defend some of its sanctions.

"I would love to be able to work collaboratively with them," Hogshead-Makar said. "But I can't get answers to very simple questions."

Colon took over as CEO of the U.S. Center for SafeSport in 2019, having previously served as the national vice president for child and club safety at the Boys & Girls Clubs of America and an executive at the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children. One of her biggest challenges is overcoming the long-standing doubts about the center's independence from the USOPC and combating distrust of the organization among athletes and their advocates. In her tenure, she has rarely spoken publicly about the center's efforts or answered questions about its work.

In March, after rescinding the scheduled interview with Colon, Hill took issue with ESPN and ABC News' ongoing reporting, calling it "inaccurate and unfair," and criticized reporters for interviewing a handful of prominent attorneys who represent athletes in civil litigation against the USOPC and its national governing bodies and are highly critical of SafeSport, suggesting that reporters should investigate them instead.

"If ABC truly cares about the victims and [in] doing its part to cover these sensitive issues," Hill said, "it will direct its investigative efforts on those who seek to undermine accountability while perpetuating their business interests."

ONE OF THE center's most prominent and vocal critics is John Manly, a Southern California-based attorney who has worked with hundreds of victims of sexual abuse. Manly's firm has represented athletes in multiple multimillion-dollar settlements with their sports' national governing bodies. Most notably, it was part of a group of attorneys who negotiated for a total of $880 million from USA Gymnastics and Michigan State University on behalf of clients who were abused by former doctor Larry Nassar.

Manly is one of several attorneys who believe the center and its investigators operate within the confines of a system that was set up chiefly to promote a positive public image of the USOPC's efforts to curb abuse and to limit its legal liability. As a result, he strongly recommends to his clients that they decline to participate in the center's process and seek justice or accountability through the criminal and civil court system.

"I believe SafeSport is there for one reason, which is to protect the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee and its governing bodies," Manly said. "... It's a process designed for secrecy, and it's a process designed to fail survivors. And that's not an accident."

Hill calls these claims baseless and self-serving, and cited a report produced by the Government Accountability Office last summer that certifies the center is meeting all of its requirements to be considered an independent body.

"When individuals, particularly attorneys, actively speak out against the center while refusing to play a role in informing its approach or engaging in constructive dialogue," Hill said, "they are recklessly undermining the mission of the center."

Manly said he thinks other avenues to justice are more effective than the center and is therefore unconcerned about whether his recommendations to clients disrupts the center's ability to uphold sanctions.

"I'm not going to entrust my client's well-being to a bunch of bozos at SafeSport who don't necessarily have my client's best interests at heart," he said. "I'll entrust them to law enforcement and I'll entrust them to the professionals there, but not them."

The center's leadership has reached out to some attorneys, Hill said, who discourage their clients from participating in its process, seeking to "engage in thoughtful discussion," but "unfortunately some refuse."

The seeds of their misgivings come, in part, from the center's early connections with the USOPC and the way it was initially funded.

Some of the center's early leaders had close ties to the USOPC. Its first chief operating officer, Malia Arrington, previously served as the first director of ethics and safe sport for the then-USOC, and its first chairman of the board of directors, Frank Marshall, previously served as a USOC vice president and was inducted into the U.S. Olympic Hall of Fame.

The law written by Blumenthal and Moran seeks to address those concerns. The legislation prohibits the center from employing or electing to their board of trustees anyone who has worked for the USOPC or a national governing body (NGB) of an individual sport within the previous two years. Arrington left the center in 2018, while Marshall left earlier this year, shortly before the law went into effect.

Nonetheless, skepticism about the center's independence remains, even among high-ranking officials within at least one national governing body. Attorney Jonathan Little, another prominent victims' attorney and SafeSport critic who also serves as the general counsel of USA Badminton, advised his colleagues at the federation this September that "the policy of USA Badminton should be" to report any allegations of abuse to local law enforcement and then ask them for their "blessing" before reporting them to the center.

"I have seen Safe Sport intentionally ruin at least one criminal case and compromise another case," Little wrote in an email obtained by ESPN and ABC News. "I do not think we should be reporting to them without the blessing of law enforcement."

That deep distrust has blurred the lines between advocacy and obstruction, and in this case, might have even broken the law requiring federation officials to report all claims of abuse to the center.

A whistleblower from within the federation reported concerns with the proposed policy to both Congress and the center, sparking a Congressional inquiry into "potential criminal violations." Officials from the center have notified USA Badminton that they anticipate pursuing legal action.

In response to questions from ESPN and ABC News, Little doubled down, saying that the proposed policy has already been put into "practice," and he hopes to codify it when the federation next revises its bylaws. All allegations received by the federation, he said, have since been reported to the center.

The new law also attempted to eliminate the possibilities of conflicts of interest that could arise from how the center was raising funds. In the organization's first three years in operation, the USOPC decided how much money it would provide to the center on an annual basis. Critics were concerned that the yearly dependence on the USOPC's continued support might discourage the center from pursuing cases that would damage the reputation of individuals or federations that were valuable to the Olympic movement.

Blumenthal and Moran's law sought to address that concern by mandating that the USOPC provide $20 million in funds to the center every year. Hill said that section of the law "eliminates the need for the center to annually request funding from the USOPC and national governing bodies and further increasing the center's independence from these organizations."

But the legislation also allows the USOPC to "use funds received from 1 or more national governing bodies to make [the] mandatory payment" to the center, so in order to offset that cost, the USOPC has begun to charge national governing bodies thousands of dollars in fees for cases opened by the center.

ESPN and ABC News obtained screenshots of an internal presentation describing the funding model that, sources familiar with its contents said, was delivered last year via videoconference to federation officials representing various sports throughout the Olympic movement. The presentation appears to have been shared from the screen of Rocky Harris, the CEO of USA Triathlon, who also serves on the USOPC's SafeSport funding task force.

According to the presentation, beginning in 2021 and continuing into 2022, each national governing body was charged a "baseline contribution," based on the size of its membership and assessed "risk profile," in addition to "case costs," broken into three categories based on the eventual outcome of an allegation reported to the center, and potential "high usage fees" if case costs surpass a certain threshold.

"Low cost" cases, in which the center declines jurisdiction to pursue an investigation, cost a national governing body $150; "medium cost" cases, in which the center administratively closes a case, cost $1,500; and "high cost" cases, in which the center investigates and either finds a violation or no violation, cost $3,000.

The model, according to the presentation, projects to raise $2.6 million for the USOPC for the national governing bodies in 2021 and 2022 but "will work up to $4 million," or 20% of the USOPC's mandatory annual funding of the center. Some sports officials fear the model creates a financial disincentive to report abuse allegations.

"The more you report, the more you pay. The more severe the report, the more you pay," said a federation official responsible for SafeSport compliance who asked to remain anonymous because the official was not authorized to speak publicly. "This is broken. This defeats the objective."

In response to a request for comment from Harris, USA Triathlon referred ESPN and ABC News to the National Governing Bodies Council, which is the group that created and implemented the funding model.

The council "completely rejects" the idea that it creates a disincentive for reporting, according to Max Cobb, who was chairman of the group when this model was adopted. Cobb said that officials who do not report possible claims to the center face the threat of breaking a federal law and putting their NGB's certification in jeopardy, which he says would far outweigh any concerns about adding costs to their organization's budget.

If a national governing body does discourage reporting or interfere in the SafeSport process in any way, it can be reported to Congress. SafeSport has lodged such complaints about two NGBs in recent months: USA Badminton and USA Hockey.

Cobb said some sports federations use the center's services far more frequently than others, and the group wanted to find a way to share the costs proportionately.

"Every sport is contributing based on their size, but beyond that, there are a handful of NGBs that are having a larger number of reports submitted," Cobb said. "This was a way to balance some of that proportionality."

Jon Mason, a spokesperson for the USOPC, said the USOPC "facilitates collection and payment calculations to preserve privacy of case data among [the governing bodies]" and creates "proportionate payments that account for the differences in the [governing bodies]."

"The USOPC pays the center $20M annually," Mason said, "and [a council composed of leaders from the national governing bodies] determines how the [governing body] portion is divided fairly ... using factors including revenue, minor and adult membership, audit results and center usage."

Hill said the center has no control over how the USOPC collects the funds, but suggested that the center's leaders might have shared concerns with the funding model with the USOPC.

"While we are not a party to the decision-making process on the funding model, we have reiterated many times to USOPC and NGB leaders that we strongly recommend an approach that incentivizes positive outcomes that drive culture change and enhance athlete safety," Hill said. "Furthermore, we have continued to discourage any financial model that might be perceived as disincentivizing the reporting of any and all allegations of abuse and misconduct."

Cobb said the council he chaired discussed the center's concerns with the organization before reaching its final decision.

"Nobody at the center has any NGB experience," Cobb said. "... Their thoughts were not really well-grounded in the reality of NGB perspective. We appreciate their suggestions, but we came up with our own methodology."

According to Blumenthal and Moran, the responsibility to rebuild trust with athletes, advocates and sports federations lies with the center. In speaking with a variety of athletes during their 2018 investigation, Moran and Blumenthal say they found many had "little or no faith" in the center's ability to serve as an independent watchdog.

"They saw SafeSport as an arm of the U.S. Olympic structure," Moran said. "They saw it as just one more U.S. Olympic entity that would fail us again."

They hope the additional funding and new measures of independence will give the center what it needs to succeed, but they recognize that it's impossible to legislate goodwill.

"SafeSport has to rebuild confidence and trust," Blumenthal said. "SafeSport doesn't have my confidence and trust right now. But it can if it shows results."

"What's at stake here is the confidence and credibility of SafeSport, which should be a beacon of hope, not of disillusionment and despair, which it has been all too often," he added. "And that's why it has to open a new chapter, turn the page in its history."

The center reviews its code and other policies on an annual basis in an effort to improve an organization that is still navigating uncharted waters.

"We're also committed to continuous improvement," Hill said, "and will always consider modifications to best practice or adjustments needed considering our experience and data, if they comply with all applicable laws."

The U.S. Center for SafeSport remains a relatively young organization, one that even some of its critics see as an integral part of the solution moving forward. The center is "moving in the right direction," Moran said, but it needs to make changes. Otherwise, the senators will make changes for them.

"We know they have to do better," Blumenthal said. "The burden is on them to show they can do better. If not, we'll change the leadership. We'll provide more resources, we'll alter the rules. But the point is the burden is on SafeSport to show they can do the job, which so far they haven't. The jury's still out, and we're going to hold them accountable."


U.S. Center for SafeSport, Olympic Movement's misconduct watchdog, struggles to shed 'paper tiger' reputation
Read more: https://www.espn.com/olympics/story/_/i ... reputation

greybeard58
Posts: 2511
Joined: Sat Aug 21, 2004 11:40 pm

Update from Safesport Database

Post by greybeard58 » Mon Apr 25, 2022 3:56 pm

Name: Therese Coughlan
City: Mankato
State: MN
Sport Affiliation(s): USA Hockey
Misconduct(Subject to appeal / not yet final);
Criminal Disposition Action Taken: Ineligible
Additional Detail
Date of Issuance:04/25/2022
Adjudicating Body: U.S. Center for SafeSport

https://uscenterforsafesport.org/respon ... -database/

greybeard58
Posts: 2511
Joined: Sat Aug 21, 2004 11:40 pm

They are banned from coaching Olympic sports. Why are they coaching children?

Post by greybeard58 » Mon May 02, 2022 9:41 am

They are banned from coaching Olympic sports. Why are they coaching children?

By Emily R. Siegel, Andrew W. Lehren and Mary Pilon

MacKenzie Loesch says she still has a clear memory of the encounter that broke her.
It was 10 years ago, and Loesch was 12 — a rising taekwondo star from a small town in Missouri. Her training facility was two hours away, and her coach, Thomas Hardin, would often drive her there. One day, she was sitting in his car at a gas station when, she says, he handed her a blue rose. He told her he loved her and told her to say it back. Someday they’d get married, he said, according to Loesch.

Loesch had been carrying the secret since she was 9, all while winning gold and silver medals at taekwondo competitions and hoping she’d earn a spot on the 2016 Olympic team. That was the moment it became too much. She texted a friend and finally detailed the abuse that she says went on for nearly three years.
“I’m freaking scared help me,” she wrote in a text message transcript created by police and reviewed by NBC News. “I can’t tell my mom I’m terrified.”
The texts began a year’s long battle for the Loesch family that would mar Loesch’s high school experience and cause her to end her promising taekwondo career. They dealt with the police, social services and eventually USA Taekwondo, the sport’s governing body for the U.S. Olympic Committee. Hardin was never criminally charged, but Loesch and her family still wanted to stop him from ever coaching children again. They ultimately learned they were up against a system with no mechanism to do so.

“I don’t know how to not be angry about it,” Loesch, now 23, said.
Millions of American kids participate in youth sports every year, yet there are few safeguards to bar coaches with histories of abuse. Youth coaches aren’t licensed or regulated by government agencies, and the one federal governing body that does exist is limited in scope.

In 2018, Congress and the U.S. Olympic Committee created the U.S. Center for SafeSport to investigate youth and adult abuse in Olympic-affiliated sports. SafeSport can ban coaches from participating in Olympic events or activities — including elite youth programs in sports like soccer, tennis, swimming and volleyball — but it has no jurisdiction over the vast majority of youth sports programs.

SafeSport has permanently banned hundreds of coaches, including Hardin. Today, he owns his own taekwondo facility in suburban Missouri and works with boys and girls under 12, the same age as Loesch when she says she was molested.

An NBC News analysis of people disciplined by SafeSport found at least 10 who appear to still be coaching or working with minors despite having been banned by SafeSport after they were criminally charged with offenses involving sexual misconduct. Another 10 people are still coaching or working with minors after they were banned as a result of a SafeSport investigation or investigation by an Olympic governing body, such as USA Swimming. Five more were found to have coached or trained kids after they were banned but no longer appear to be doing so.

The coaches amount to only a fraction of the roughly 1,400 who have been banned by SafeSport, but experts say they illustrate the vulnerability of the estimated 45 million children who participate in youth sports in the U.S.
“If someone has a history of harming someone within the context of sport, they should not be continuing that role,” said David Lee, the director of research and evaluation at Raliance, an organization dedicated to ending sexual violence. “We want to create systems to be able to ensure that people are safe from harm, and we need to be able to prevent those people from continuing doing that.”

How to police sports

The oversight models look remarkably different for schools and youth sports.
In many states, schools are required to conduct extensive background checks for incoming teachers. There are no such state or federal requirements for youth coaches outside of schools.

Little leagues, club teams and independently owned studios don’t fall under the jurisdiction of SafeSport or laws to prevent child sexual abuse in public schools.
“We need some way to better police sports,” said Elizabeth Letourneau, the director of the Moore Center for the Prevention of Child Sexual Abuse at Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in Baltimore. “It is kind of unfortunate that we have to have sort of bespoke strategies, like this group polices Olympic sports and this group polices public education.”
SafeSport was created in the wake of the USA Gymnastics sex abuse scandal involving Larry Nassar.

Its main function is to review allegations of sexual misconduct among its adult and youth athletes and impose sanctions on offenders. Along with sexual abuse, it also investigates allegations of bullying, harassment, hazing, physical abuse and emotional abuse. The organization has exclusive jurisdiction over sexual abuse complaints in Olympic sports.

SafeSport uses a lower threshold than criminal courts when it renders decisions — a preponderance of evidence instead of beyond a reasonable doubt. Many people in the database haven’t been criminally charged.
The results of investigations are put into an online database, and the discipline can be challenged in arbitration.

SafeSport’s oversight extends through the sports federations affiliated with the U.S. Olympic Committee, from league tournaments supported by USA Bowling to weekend tennis tournaments run under the banner of the U.S. Tennis Association.
The organization has drawn controversy almost from the start. Athletes, coaches and senators have criticized the pace of its investigative process and its ability to truly hold people accountable.

The NBC News review found at least four instances of a banned person’s going on to work for or own a team or a facility affiliated with U.S. Olympics or one of the governing bodies. At least one banned coach has also found a creative way to still participate in the Games.

SafeSport banned Vasja Bajc, a U.S. ski jumping coach, in 2020, but he went on to coach in the 2022 Winter Olympics as the head of the Czech men’s ski jumping team.
SafeSport doesn’t comment on specific cases. But the organization’s lawyers have in the past addressed the issue of banned coaches’ going on to work with children.

One coach who was banned for drugging and raping an athlete sued SafeSport, claiming his ban precluded him from earning a living. In response, SafeSport lawyers said the coach wasn’t precluded from employment and could, in fact, continue to coach.
“He can go overseas and work for another Olympic committee,” the motion filed by SafeSport says. “He could work in a Taekwondo studio that is not subject to the auspices of the U.S. Olympic Committee or under their purview.”
Lawyers for SafeSport went even further, saying he could continue to put himself in positions where he could commit abuse again.
“He can get a job doing something else that does put him in situations where he might be tempted to repeat the behavior that led to the instant sanction. Moreover, the lifetime ban as limited does not prevent him from potentially engaging in the same behavior that led to the sanction; it only affects activity specifically under the auspices of the U.S. Olympic Committee.”

In response to questions from NBC News, SafeSport CEO Ju’Riese Colón said the effort to prevent abuse in sports “requires a commitment from people at all levels.”
“Every sport entity serving minor athletes should follow the CDC guidelines on child safety and adhere to abuse-prevention best practices, including conducting comprehensive background checks, implementing strong safety policies and offering abuse prevention training,” Colón said.

Colón also said the organization “strongly recommends that every sports organization review our public Centralized Disciplinary Database when screening coaches and other individuals in a position of authority, particularly those working with minors.” She added that although its jurisdiction is limited, SafeSport has worked with more than 900 organizations outside the Olympic and Paralympic movement to provide training.

“I do not think that people who have been banned from Olympic and Paralympic sports should have the flexibility to move on to someone’s local school or university,” Colón said in an interview. “That’s not what the intent of the center was. It’s just something that unfortunately has happened at least 20 times.”
The people who were banned by SafeSport but appear to still be coaching or working with children represent a variety of sports and live in different parts of the U.S. They include:

• James Feltus, who was criminally charged in 2005 with several offenses, including abuse, neglect or endangerment of a child. He pleaded guilty to pandering. Social media pages show that a person with that name works for a youth basketball league in Nevada, the Las Vegas Punishers. (In response to questions, a James Feltus in Nevada with the same middle name and birthdate as the person banned by SafeSport confirmed he works for the Punishers but said SafeSport put the wrong James Feltus in the database.)

• Jimmy Baxley, who was charged with molesting three family members in February 2019. He now appears to coach youth boxing at Heavy Hitters Boxing Gym in New Jersey. Photos from a newspaper article about his arrest match images on the gym’s website, as well as Facebook and Instagram pages. (Baxley didn’t respond to messages left by phone, email and text.)

• Thomas Navarro, who was convicted in 2000 of sodomy and sexual abuse involving a minor. Navarro now appears to be teaching horseback riding at River Chase Farm in Aldie, Virginia. A mugshot of Navarro matches photos on the farm’s Instagram and Facebook pages. (Navarro said he is suing SafeSport and couldn’t discuss anything at this time.)

• Robert Barletta, who was charged with sexual assault with intent to rape a female coach at a hockey camp. He owns an ice skating rink, Rodman Arena, in Walpole, Massachusetts, according to business filings, and a team in a USA Hockey-affiliated youth league. (Barletta has pleaded not guilty, said his attorney, Curt Bletzer. “He didn’t do what he’s charged with doing,” Bletzer said.)

• Ernest Bolen, who pleaded guilty in 1992 to aggravated criminal sexual abuse involving teenagers under the age of 17. A Facebook page for Beardstown Karate Club and Fitness in Beardstown, Illinois, which is in the same county where Bolen was charged, indicates that a man named Ernest Bolen works there. (He didn’t respond to requests for comment.)

• Michael Strickland, who was charged with offenses involving sexual misconduct. A Facebook page for the Rising Stars Basketball Club in Valdosta, Georgia, identifies a Michael Strickland as a coach, and a league spokesman confirmed it’s the same person as the one in the SafeSport database. (Neither Strickland nor the club responded to requests for comment.)

• Heather Adams, who pleaded guilty in 2013 to a charge of aggravated misdemeanor sexual exploitation for having sex with an 18-year-old student who attended the school where she taught chemistry, according to news accounts at the time. The case was handled through a deferred judgment agreement, allowing her to avoid conviction by completing two years of probation. The case was later dismissed. She now runs a hockey league for high school-age players and older — Corridor Hockey Association — in Iowa, according to the organization’s website and state incorporation records. She declined to be interviewed about SafeSport’s action but said in an email: “This was a decade ago. I’ve been cleared of all wrongdoing, and there is nothing on my record except some speeding tickets.”

• Anthony DeSilva, who was charged in 2012 with numerous offenses, including use of a computer to seduce a child, but pleaded no contest to a single count of unlawful computer usage. He now runs a scouting agency for youth hockey, Top Hockey Prospect, in Acushnet, Massachusetts, his publicist, Gail Sideman, confirmed.

• Charlie Mercado, who was convicted of misdemeanor child molestation in August 2017 and was ordered not to work with female minors. He now appears to run a youth basketball program, Gamepoint Basketball, in Oceanside, California. A Charlie Mercado is listed on the organization’s website as the founder, and his photo matches a picture that appeared in a local news article about his arrest. (Neither Mercado nor Gamepoint Basketball responded to requests for comment.)

Then there’s Peter Kim, who works at Matchpoint Martial Arts in Brunswick, Ohio. He has received glowing reviews from parents on Google. “Master Kim is awesome with all the kids,” one says.
But not only is he listed in SafeSport’s database as being permanently ineligible to participate in USA Taekwondo; he was also convicted of attempted sexual battery and was a registered sex offender until 2013.

The case dates to the early 2000s, when he was working at a taekwondo studio in Medina, about 7 miles from Brunswick.
Marie, who asked to be identified only by her middle name for privacy reasons and fear of retaliation, met Kim when she was 11 years old.
She said that over the years Kim would make comments about her body and how she would make a good wife.
As she got older, she said, he became more physical and eventually more aggressive. He rubbed her back and went under her clothing, she said. He walked into the locker room while she was changing and reached into her pants, she said.
After the first alleged assault at age 17, she said, she began crying, but he abused her seven or eight more times.
“I was just so confused I didn’t know how to handle it,” she said. “It took years and years of therapy to understand that he was laying the foundation through grooming over the years to get to that point.”
Marie left for college, but he kept trying to reach out to her, she said. She became depressed and stopped eating. She struggled in classes and relationships. She eventually told her college boyfriend and then reported it to the police. In a recorded phone call with police on the line, Kim admitted to having sex with her, telling her that her age never entered his mind. The admission was enough for an indictment.
Kim was sentenced to six months in jail in 2003 after he pleaded guilty to a charge of attempted sexual battery.
Marie and her family were shocked and alarmed when they found out that Kim was still coaching.
“It makes me fearful for the teenage girls, the young girls at the school, and that he still has that same opportunity that he had back then,” she said. “And it more than anything just scares me that he is potentially doing the exact same thing to someone now that he did to me.”
Kim didn’t respond to repeated requests for comment.

Loesch’s torment

After Loesch’s family reported the abuse to police, she said, she endured a brutal stretch.
Hardin worked quickly to squelch the allegations, telling others in the taekwondo community that she was a liar, according to Loesch’s mother, Karen Loesch. Without any physical evidence, police ultimately declined to charge him. Hardin didn’t respond to requests for comment.
Loesch was referred to the Missouri Children’s Division, which launched an investigation. According to an investigative report reviewed by NBC News, Loesch told the social worker that Hardin would touch her buttocks, kiss her neck and make her wrap her legs around him. She said he would do that at his studio, in his car and at his home.
The social worker determined by a preponderance of evidence that Loesch was “the victim of sexual abuse in the form of fondling/touching perpetrated by Thomas Hardin.”

As a result, the Children’s Division told Loesch’s mother that Hardin’s name would be added to the Missouri Family Care Safety Registry, an internal registry that tracks investigations into child and elder abuse. The registry, which can be searched by employers who are hiring for positions that deal directly with children and the elderly, isn’t accessible to the public.
Every state has a similar registry dedicated to maintaining reports and investigations of child abuse and neglect. It is often called a central registry, and aid agencies use it in investigations of child abuse cases. It is also used to screen people who are working with children, adopting children or applying to be foster parents. None of the databases are accessible to the public.
Police told Karen Loesch she could take MacKenzie to other jurisdictions where the alleged abuse occurred — New York and California — and see whether those departments could investigate. But Karen said the idea of traveling around the country with her traumatized 12-year-old didn’t appeal to her.
Karen said that police told her she could sue but that that wouldn’t address the family’s goal.
“We didn’t want money,” she said. “We wanted him not to be around children.”
The family filed for a restraining order, which would last until Loesch turned 18.
In March 2013, Loesch spotted Hardin in the crowd at a USA Taekwondo event she was competing in, which was also a violation of her restraining order. The police arrived and he left the facility, but the event was too much for Loesch. She decided to quit taekwondo.

The Loesch family live in a rural area outside St. Louis, and she frequently ran into Hardin at Walmart and local restaurants. Loesch said that knowing he was nearby caused anxiety and made her want to become unrecognizable.
“I basically changed my whole appearance,” she said. “I dyed my hair. Didn’t wear glasses anymore, even though I couldn’t see. Dressed way differently. Just wasn’t myself at all.”
After she gave up taekwondo, she threw herself into school. She excelled in math and eventually went to college to study engineering.
It has been over 10 years since the alleged abuse stopped, but she’s angry that he’s still around children.
“I have a few times looked up his studio and people who are training there,” Loesch said. “I’ve so badly wanted to message some of these parents saying: ‘Please get your kids out of there. I don’t want anything to happen to them. I know who he is. I know what he’s done.’”

Emily R. Siegel
Emily Siegel is an investigative reporter with the NBC News Investigative Unit.

Andrew W. Lehren
Andrew W. Lehren is a senior editor with the NBC News Investigative Unit.

Mary Pilon
Mary Pilon is the author of "The Monopolists," a New York Times bestseller about the history of the board game Monopoly and the forthcoming "The Kevin Show." Her work, chiefly about sports, business, and politics, regularly appears in the New Yorker, Esquire, Bloomberg BusinessWeek, Vice, New York, and The New York Times, among other publications. She also appears on a variety of TV and radio programs and worked as a producer for NBC Sports at the 2016 Rio Olympics.
Kit Ramgopal contributed.

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/sports/re- ... -rcna25623

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A familiar name

Post by greybeard58 » Mon May 23, 2022 12:45 pm

Name: Thomas Peart
City
State: MN
Sport Affiliation(s): USA Hockey
Misconduct: Allegations of Misconduct
Action Taken: Temporary Restriction(s)
Additional Detail: Limitation(s) on Participation
Date of Issuance: 05/23/2022
Adjudicating Body: U.S. Center for SafeSport

https://uscenterforsafesport.org/respon ... -database/

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2 articles about Wilderness coach

Post by greybeard58 » Fri Jul 15, 2022 1:11 pm

The North American Hockey League announced that Minnesota Wilderness assistant coach Brendan Phelps has been fired and his former team asked the public for help in investigating him after allegations of misconduct surfaced in a video posted on YouTube over the weekend.

That video, which was uploaded and published on July 9, appeared to show Phelps being confronted by multiple people in a park near Sleepy Eye, Minn. and accusing him of trying to meet a teenage boy for sex.

According to the NAHL, Phelps, 31, was terminated from the position, and local law enforcement and the U.S. Center for SafeSport were asked by the league to investigate the allegations.

"Based on the information available to the NAHL, the conduct in question does not appear to have involved any NAHL player personnel or activities. Upon seeing the video, the Wilderness contacted the NAHL, USA Hockey, and law enforcement. The Wilderness also informed Mr. Phelps that his employment with the team had been immediately terminated.

"This matter was also immediately reported to the U.S. Center for SafeSport, which has the exclusive authority within U.S. junior hockey to investigate and to resolve the allegations. As a result, Mr. Phelps has been suspended from all participation in any USA Hockey sanctioned activity, including all activity within the jurisdiction of the NAHL."

One of the individuals who filmed and participated in the roughly 18-minute video, which The Athletic has viewed, accused Phelps of sending graphic sexual videos to a person posing as a 16-year-old boy over a social media app, agreeing to purchase alcohol for him and procuring a hotel room to meet the boy for sex. The age of consent in Minnesota is 16, but SafeSport has policies with relatively wide latitude that govern conduct from coaches and allow SafeSport to use discretion.

According to SafeSport's Code, "the privilege of participation in the Olympic & Paralympic movement may be limited, conditioned, suspended, terminated or denied if a Participant's conduct is or was inconsistent with this Code or the best interest of sport and those who participate in it."

Phelps' coaching profile, which was public as of Sunday night, has since been removed from the Wilderness website. According to that since-removed profile, Phelps had worked for the Wilderness since 2019 and founded the skill development company STPhockey. He has worked previously as a scout for the Flin Flon Bombers in the SJHL.

The Wilderness, a junior team made up of players aged 16 to 20, released a statement on Monday afternoon that included many of the same details as those shared by the NAHL, but also urged others to reach out to law enforcement and SafeSport.

“The team encourages any player, player’s family member, or billet family member who has concerns about Mr. Phelps’ behavior to contact team representatives, so that they can be put in contact with the U.S. Center for SafeSport and/or local authorities,” the statement said.

A message left with the Cloquet, Minn. police department went unreturned. Phelps has also not responded to multiple messages seeking comment.

Minnesota junior hockey coach fired after video airs allegations of sexual misconduct
https://theathletic.com/news/minnesota- ... sNmN7GqUw/


CLOQUET — The Minnesota Wilderness fired assistant coach Brendan Phelps on Monday for allegations that were made against him in a YouTube video that was passed around in hockey circles over the weekend.

Wilderness coach and general manager Dave Boitz did not detail the allegations in his statement Monday that announced the immediate termination of Phelps, just that the allegations were serious enough to forward to the United States Center for SafeSport, the North American Hockey League, USA Hockey and local authorities.

U.S. Center for SafeSport is an independent organization established in 2017 by Congress through the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sports Act. One of the main functions of the U.S. Center for SafeSport is to independently investigate reports of child abuse or sexual misconduct in amateur sports.

Staff at the Sleepy Eye Police Department in Sleepy Eye, Minnesota, where the video was purportedly filmed, said they are investigating the allegations against Phelps and plan to forward the results of that investigation to prosecuting attorneys for a decision on potential criminal charges.

Phelps has not been charged with a crime.

Phelps was hired by the Wilderness in May 2019 after coaching youth hockey in Colorado . He was with the Wilderness for three seasons.

“Mr. Phelps’ employment by the Wilderness has ended effective immediately and he has been suspended from all participation in any USA Hockey sanctioned activity, including all activity within the jurisdiction of the NAHL,” read the statement released by Boitz. “Based on the information currently available to the Wilderness, the conduct in question does not appear to have involved any NAHL player personnel or activities.

“Local authorities and the U.S. Center for SafeSport are handling this matter and the Wilderness will cooperate with their efforts, in coordination with the NAHL. The team encourages any player, player’s family member, or billet family member who has concerns about Mr. Phelps’ behavior to contact team representatives, so that they can be put in contact with the U.S. Center for SafeSport and/or local authorities.”

The Wilderness are a junior hockey program based out of Northwoods Credit Union Arena in Cloquet competing in the NAHL. The Tier-II junior league is sanctioned by USA Hockey.

Minnesota Wilderness fire assistant coach for allegations made in YouTube video
The allegations were serious enough to forward to the United States Center for SafeSport, the North American Hockey League, USA Hockey and local authorities.
https://www.duluthnewstribune.com/sport ... tube-video

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A coach Continues to Defy SafeSport and USA Hockey Bans

Post by greybeard58 » Mon Jul 25, 2022 2:00 pm

Tony DeSilva Continues to Defy SafeSport and USA Hockey Bans
Stephen Heisler News May 11, 2022
Anthony “Tony” DeSilva is the cockroach of the sport of hockey. He’s a sexual predator that has absolutely no business involved in the sport of hockey, yet he’s acting as a family advisor. We’ve also been told that he has free run in the rinks of New England and possibly even served as a billet for one of the junior teams this past season.

How could something like this even happen? God only knows.

Let’s go ahead and recap some of this animal’s greatest hits.

A lot of this came from previous articles that I penned to help parents and players make informed choices.

This article is regarding disgraced hockey coach DeSilva, his case, and attempt to return to the game.

Before getting started, the idea of this is not to pass judgement, it is to provide readers all the necessary information needed to make their own assessments of DeSilva. Now that he’s back in the game, it’s only fair that players and parents have the information needed to make smart choices.

It’s also fair to say that I would never put any player into harm’s way, and that also means not even in the same room with a man, who in my own opinion, is a deviant sexual predator of the absolute worst variety. Today I will present the facts that opinion is based on.

There is a lot of information out there regarding the behavior of sexual predators and their involvement in youth athletic organizations. Simply said, when it comes to hockey, the sport has not been immune to the problem.
We started hearing the first rumors regarding DeSilva back in 2009. It’s always difficult to imagine just how a junior player could fall into the trap of a predator, but it happens. Coaches like Graham James used their power within the game to identify and groom targets. National Hockey League players Sheldon Kennedy and Theoren Fleury are two of James’ victims.

First of all, sex offences don’t just happen, they are well thought out cycles that lead to acting out a deviant fantasy. DeSilva’s case follows an all too familiar cycle of offense that criminal investigators see time and time again. It’s impossible to believe that the 2012 incident was the first for DeSilva, or that it will be the last.

In most cases, the investigators already know the path the sexual offender suspect is going to take before the steps even begin. In DeSilva’s case, it was obvious to all that this was not the disgraced coach’s first walk. He was very confident and unconcerned about getting caught.

When DeSilva started talking to who he thought was a second and third Florida teen, the coach quickly went to his Graham James card as the big-time coach of a hockey program.

The following is taken from the FoxBoston story in the days following DeSilva’s arrest.


DeSilva was A 41-year-old hockey coach accused of sending and soliciting nude photos during conversations with who he thought were teenage boys on the Internet. He was arrested for 10 counts of use of a computer to seduce a child and one count transmission of material harmful to a child.

Investigators in Polk County (FL) began posing as a 16-year-old boy after the teen’s mother contacted them about interactions between her son and a man named “Tony” on Facebook.

Polk County investigators allege that “Tony,” who they identify as DeSilva, sent nude photos of himself to who he thought was the teen on the Internet and in text messages.

Investigators claim DeSilva described in graphic detail sexual acts he would like to perform on the boy.

Investigators say they also connected with DeSilva while posing as two other 16-year-old boys from Polk County. They say in these conversations he solicited both teens to send nude photos of themselves to him and solicited them to perform sexual acts.

After his arrest, investigators say DeSilva told detectives that he knew the people he was chatting with were 16.


In a candid phone discussion with DeSilva a few years back, he tried to brush off his past as a false allegation from a player that was cut. Did we really expect anything else? “I knew he was a police officer and was just playing around with them,” DeSilva said in the phone conversation. “The case was thrown out because they made up stuff that never happened.”


Made stuff up?


DeSilva was charged with 75 counts involving use of a computer to seduce a child, transmitting harmful material to a child, inducing a child to engage in a sexual performance, causing a child to travel or attempt to travel for sexual purposes and unlawful use of a two-way communication device.


DeSilva, spent 244 days in the Polk County Jail and was sentenced by Circuit Judge Catherine Combee to time served and 58 months of probation.

Criminals often suffer from the illusion that certain laws do not apply to them, that targeted restrictions can be worked around, and that they can reach their goals regardless of the means.


It is my opinion that Anthony DeSilva is a criminal sexual deviant that shows zero remorse for his past and has returned to the game in any way possible, regardless of who he has hurt along the way.

After the arrest, USA Hockey quickly suspended DeSilva from the game.


As you know, USA Hockey suspended Anthony DeSilva immediately when he was arrested several years ago. As for USA Hockey’s position relative to his involvement in the game, he is banned from having anything to do with USA Hockey programs, and we will continue to enforce that ban. Dave Fischer, Senior Director, USA Hockey


While DeSilva’s plea agreement did not result in a conviction that requires a sexual offender registration (how did that happen?), USA Hockey and the United States Center for SafeSport are enforcing a Permanent Ineligibility action as the result of DeSilva’s “Criminal Disposition- involving a Minor.”

Once DeSilva cleared probation, It did not take long for him to mastermind the work around regarding USA Hockey’s action and has put himself back in the game, and he did not act alone.

DeSilva and Peter Preteroti started talking about a new company, Top Hockey Prospect, in the summer of 2020 with Buffalo area players, parents, and coaches. A State of New York notarized partnership agreement between DeSilva and Preteroti was filed on July 3rd of that year.

At some point after reports surfaced regarding the new venture, Preteroti told Regals owner Mike Answeeney that he was unaware of DeSilva’s legal issues from the past.

“That’s not true,” former Eastern States Hockey League commissioner Andrew “Sarge” Richards said back in 2020. “Peter is fully aware of what happened with DeSilva and the Mass Leafs.” In fact, a simple Google search of Peter’s name and DeSilva shows a long history of the two interacting in the name of hockey. Preteroti’s Buffalo Stars even traveled to New England to face the Leafs in non-league games in addition to many other interactions.

So why would Preteroti, with so much to lose, take the chance to risk everything to help DeSilva? That’s a question that remains unanswered. Another question that has emerged; is it a crime for DeSilva to try and work around the SafeSport restriction and for Preteroti to have helped him?


When news of the new venture hit the hockey world, DeSilva quickly taken on the role of the victim on the company’s Facebook page.
“It sickens me that there are people who can make up as much lies about someone and make themselves look innocent and they destroy someone’s reputation all because they are jealous and pathetic and so many people believe them without finding out the truth.”Anthony DeSilva, 2020

Hey Tony, so the deputies in Florida lied about the naked pictures Sheriff Grady said you sent to his deputies when you thought they were 16-year-old boys?

In my opinion, the biggest problem is that you are so open about your new venture and actively reaching out to the same aged players that got you into trouble in the first place. Why not turn to the pro game instead? I know, those guys would simply knock your block off.

The situation with Anthony DeSilva has somewhat soured my impression of the hockey community. We are supposed to be protecting these kids. Don’t get me wrong, I love the game, but I can’t understand why so many people would think that opening any door for DeSilva would be a good idea.


Let’s make this very clear; anybody that has knowingly taken a phone call from DeSilva, and did not report that interaction to SafeSport, is morally guilty of enabling a permanently ineligible person. There are a lot of people that simply did not know about DeSilva’s story, and we understand that.


I could make a list of well over 25 coaches and teams that fall into that category. That’s not going to happen, today. Instead, I’m going to give everyone the opportunity to right the wrong. Please report any interaction you have had with DeSilva to your league and SafeSport immediately.


My challenge for all is this; we must keep banned individuals from sneaking back into the game. There has to be a serious consequence for people like Preteroti who have gone to such great measures to enable DeSilva.


Coaches that fail to report contact with DeSilva should face some type of sanctions as well.


Information is everything, so let’s get the word out. Local affiliates need to get information to the rinks, leagues to all staff and teams, and the rest of us as well. If we see something, say something.


Tony, I know you are reading this, please leave the kids alone.

There are few things in life that concern me more than an admitted pedophile having open access to the game of hockey.

What’s the purpose of a permanent ineligibility ban if the individual is still permitted access to hockey events across the country? What’s the purpose of a permanent ineligibility ban if the individual is in continuous contact with coaches and teams from the youth and junior levels of play?

The fact that DeSilva now fancies himself as an advisor and that absolutely disgusts me. How can any parent believe that such a monster is the best choice to lead their children through the junior hockey process and into college?

The question for all of you is simple, why are showcase promoters, leagues, and building letting this predator have access to the kids?

Earlier last year it was discovered that the DeSilva was responsible for getting several players to the Maine Eclipse of the Eastern Hockey League. It appeared that folks were more concerned about how I learned of the issue and less concerned about the fact that the DeSilva was involved at all.

Most coaches know about the DeSilva’s track record and do a good job of keeping him away. But then there are the others who continually work with DeSilva by allowing him to put teams into showcases and taking his calls regarding players. I’m still confused why that is not a crime.

Maybe that is the question all of you should be asking your congressional representation at both the state and federal level. If someone like the DeSilva can still get into the hockey rinks, and access to the boys, What does that tell you about our society.

We know there’s a whole cross section of our society that would like to normalize pedophilia. I’m sorry if this offends anybody, but I’m never going to be OK with that. I feel sorry for any idiot that decides to try to hit on my 14-year-old son. I may get a set of handcuffs, but there’s a really good chance that guy is going to need a new set of teeth.

Many people feel that violence is not the answer, so tell me what is. I am more than sick and tired of hearing the DeSilva’s name keep coming up every week. If law enforcement authorities refuse to address the issue, what else is a parent to do?

Maybe take exception by not letting your player participate in any event that has allowed the DeSilva in. As a parent you are really the one in control. Vote with your money. Tell USA Hockey, leagues, and buildings but your son is not going to play if DeSilva is allowed access.

What is the point of a permanent ineligibility label if it’s just going to be ignored? Does such a labeling by SafeSport carry any weight at all? As of now I can’t see it, and it’s getting very frustrating.

Here’s the really interesting position. What if there is another dad like me, and he simply takes DeSilva out for trying to seduce his son? Will the dad really be to blame? I don’t think so, I think the whole system is put in jeopardy when parents are forced to make those kinds of decisions. Good or bad.

Pedophiles simply don’t know how to stop being a pedophile. They just get better at not getting caught. The circle of abuse for any sexual predator is well established. And make no mistake, DeSilva is the definition of the word predator. The problem is there are many within the game that are enabling him.

So, what are you going to do about the problem? That’s what every parent should be thinking today. If it’s not for your own son, let’s protect the rest of the boys coming through the system.

Enough is enough.


Let me close with this note from one of DeSilva’s former players.

Hey Stephen, I knew Tony for only about 6-8 months, I went out there to play for his team when I was 15. Tony did a lot of odd things the first day I met him. I remember vividly he was chasing a teammate around the rink trying to grab his privates, telling him he was going to pull his pants down.

Tony quickly took to me; he would call me cutie all the time and just made me feel uncomfortable while I was around him. While we were at the EJHL showcase, he had kids stay in his hotel room and come see him in his room as well. I’m not 100% sure what happened, or what had been said in the room, but he invited me to stay in his room that weekend.

Not too long after this he got arrested by the Florida police and my Mom thankfully pulled me out of the organization and brought me home. Looking back on it I’m not sure what could have happened if I was there for much longer as a player. It’s 100% true kids kind of just brushed off his weird behavior because he was such a successful coach, they wanted to have success so most kind of just let him do what he wanted to them, like the grabbing, and verbal things he would do and say to them.
https://heishockey.com/2022/05/11/tony- ... ckey-bans/

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Youth hockey remains a world of parents beware

Post by greybeard58 » Mon Aug 29, 2022 1:00 pm

Youth hockey remains a world of parents beware

Youth hockey remains a world of parents beware
Read more: https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/08/24/ ... ts-beware/

Despite SafeSport bans, youth hockey organizations slow to remove coaches accused of abuse
Read more: https://www.bostonglobe.com/2022/08/20/ ... sed-abuse/

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Re: Banned or Disciplined coaches

Post by greybeard58 » Tue Oct 25, 2022 1:33 pm

"Assisting a local hockey program as a volunteer trainer"

A former Fergus Falls Medical Group physician who practiced at Lake Region Healthcare between 2011-2018 has been accused of sexual assault in the state of Michigan.

Dr. Zvi Levran practiced pediatric and family urology at LRH during his time in Fergus Falls, also assisting a local hockey program as a volunteer trainer, which he has done for the past 20 years in various states.

Upon leaving the Fergus Falls area, Levran began working in a similar capacity in Farmington Hills, Michigan, providing medical examinations from a home office.

On Oct. 18, following an appointment at Levran's home office, a 19-year-old man contacted Farmington Hills authorities regarding sexual assault.

Four counts of 3rd-degree criminal sexual conduct and three counts of 4th-degree sexual conduct were charged against Levran on Oct. 21, with an arraignment to follow on Oct. 22, in the 47th District Court in Farmington Hills. Magistrate Matthew Friedrich presided over the arraignment, where a not-guilty plea was entered on Levran's behalf.

Bond was set at $100,000 with an order to wear a GPS tracking device if bond is posted. Levran would be confined to his home with permission to leave the premises for work, court, meeting with his legal team or medical emergencies. Additionally, Levran would be required to surrender his passport and driver's license, would not be permitted to leave the state of Michigan and cannot treat patients in his home. Levran is not permitted to have contact with the 19-year-old who filed the complaint or his family, minors or hockey players/staff.

Investigators in Michigan are concerned that additional patients of Levran's may have had similar experiences and are asking anyone with information about similar occurrences to contact police at 248-871-2610.

“Our No. 1 goal is to keep our community safe and make sure victims feel safe coming forward,” Oakland County Prosecutor Karen D. McDonald said in a news release, encouraging all victims of sex crimes to reach out and report the crimes.

LRH vice president of marketing and communications, Katie Johnson, confirmed Levran's employment in Fergus Falls, which began late in 2011 and ended on June 29, 2018. "Beyond confirmation of his employment dates, Lake Region Medical Group and Lake Region Healthcare do not comment on personnel matters or pending litigation," Johnson explained. "Lake Region Healthcare’s highest priority is providing safe, exceptional health care to the communities we serve."

Johnson encourages patients who have questions or concerns to reach out to LRH's Patient Relations department at 218.736.8027.

Former FF doctor faces criminal sexual conduct charges
Read more: https://www.fergusfallsjournal.com/news ... 8da0d.html


Police say he provided medical assistance to youth hockey orgs in Michigan and Minnesota over past 2 decades

A doctor has been arrested and charged on multiple counts of Criminal Sexual Conduct, according to the Farmington Hills Police Department (FHPD).

The Oakland County Prosecutor's Office authorized a warrant on Dr. Zvi Levran (pictured above), charging him with 4 counts of 3rd degree Criminal Sexual Conduct and 3 counts of 4th degree Criminal Sexual Conduct.

Police say that Levran has provided medical assistance to youth hockey organizations in Michigan and Minnesota over the past two decades.

Investigators say these charges were the result of a criminal complaint filed by a 19-year-old man following an medical exam at Levran's office in Farmington Hills on Tuesday, October 18. The man is accusing Levran of sexually assaulting him during that exam.

Dr. Zvi Levran pleaded not guilty today at his arraignment at the 47th District Court. A $100,000 cash/surety bond was issued to Levran, who can not leave the State of Michigan and must surrender his driver's license and any passports while he awaits his next trial. He is also not allowed to treat patients at his home office during this time.

After his arraignment, Levran was transported to the Oakland County Jail, where he is still in custody.

Investigators believe that there may be other victims that have had similar experiences, but have yet to come forward. Farmington Hills Police Chief Jeff King and Oakland County Prosecutor Karen D. McDonald are asking anyone with information in this case, or any potential victims, to contact FHPD at (248) 871-2610.

Metro Detroit doctor, hockey assistant charged with Criminal Sexual Conduct
Read more: https://www.wxyz.com/news/local-news/fa ... al-conduct

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Michigan Developmental Hockey league response

Post by greybeard58 » Thu Oct 27, 2022 12:31 pm

MDHL statement

Statement from Michigan Developmental Hockey League on recent arrest of Dr. Zvi Levran involving sexual assault allegations:

The Michigan Developmental Hockey League (MDHL) has learned of the arrest of and criminal charges against Dr. Zvi Levran, who served as a volunteer trainer for MDHL is a limited number of MDHL events and activities. These charges and their underlying allegations are serious and disturbing.

MDHL has zero tolerance for abuse and misconduct. Due to the allegations against Dr. Levran, he is no longer a volunteer with MDHL and MDHL players, coaches, and administrators will have no contact with him as part of the MDHL activities and events.

As a USA Hockey affiliate, all MDHL coaches and volunteers are required to submit to annual background checks and screening. All MDHL coaches and volunteers are also required to complete USA Hockey Safe Sport Program training. Safe Sport Program training informs and teaches MDHL members of the information necessary to help prevent abuse from occurring in youth hockey and is administered annually. More information about the Safe Sport program is available at https://www.usahockey.come/safesportprogram.

If anyone has information relevant to the criminal investigation or other incidents please contact the Farmington Hills Police Department at (248) 871-2610.

Suspected abuse should also be reported to USA Hockey via:
Phone (800) 888-4656
Email: SafeSport@usahockey.org
Online: https://www.usahockey.com/makingareport (click: "Report to USA Hockey”).

Source: https://twitter.com/KatieJStrang/status ... DppoAsAAAA

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Michigan Amateur Hockey Association Presidents response

Post by greybeard58 » Thu Oct 27, 2022 1:38 pm

Full statement from MAHA President George Atkinson here:

The evening of October 22, 2022, the Michigan Amateur Hockey Association (“the MAHA”) became aware of a Farmington Hills Police Department investigation involving potential criminal sexual conduct by Dr. Zvi Levran and involving an unknown hockey participant. The doctor was arraigned on charges brought by the Oakland County Prosecutor’s Office. As the governing body for the sport of ice hockey in Michigan under an Affiliate Agreement with USA Hockey, the MAHA issued a summary suspension against the doctor from all MAHA and USA Hockey sanctioned activities. MAHA also immediately communicated its actions to USA Hockey, which had already reported the matter to the U.S. Center for SafeSport (“the Center”).

Summary suspensions issued in relation to allegations of sexual abuse or misconduct are subject to the jurisdiction of the Center. MAHA has been notified that the Center has accepted jurisdiction of this case. MAHA will continue to cooperate with the Center and the Farmington Hills Police Department during their investigations.

The MAHA asks anyone will information relevant to this incident, or knowledge of similar incidents, contact the Farmington Hills Police Department during their investigations.

The MAHA asks that anyone with information relevant to this incident, or knowledge of similar incidents, contact the Farmington Hills Police Department at 248-871-2610 and/or the U.S. Center for SafeSport at 833-587-7233 or www.usacenterforsafesport.org. Any incidents reported to the MAHA will also be submitted to the appropriate agencies.

Source: https://twitter.com/KatieJStrang/status ... 7fpP8rAAAA

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‘Hockey Doc’ charged with sexual assault faced a similar allegation years ago. How was he able to keep working with play

Post by greybeard58 » Tue Nov 08, 2022 2:31 pm

‘Hockey Doc’ charged with sexual assault faced a similar allegation years ago. How was he able to keep working with players?

Last month, Dr. Zvi Levran was charged with seven counts of criminal sexual conduct in Oakland County, Mich., after a 19-year-old male hockey player told police that on Oct. 18 he was sexually assaulted by Levran, a urologist, during a medical exam in Levran’s basement office of his Farmington Hills home. Levran pleaded not guilty at his arraignment on Oct. 22.

Levran, 66, is well-known in suburban Detroit hockey circles where he was referred to as the “Hockey Doc” or “Doc.” He worked as a volunteer with high school hockey programs, including those in Farmington and Novi, off and on for nearly two decades, and he also helped with the Michigan Developmental Hockey League, which runs prior to the high school season. The MDHL puts together a select team of elite performers — known as Team Michigan — for a USA Hockey-affiliated event in Minnesota, and Levran has traveled with the team and served as an on-site physician.

Levran performed physical examinations, treated injuries and offered soft tissue massages to players. The 19-year-old who was allegedly assaulted went to see Levran for medical treatment. News of Levran’s arrest jolted the insular Michigan hockey community. Asked about the response from the public, Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald said: “I would classify it as widespread. … I want to be very careful. These are allegations, nothing more. There’s been no conviction here and he’s presumed innocent but, based on the evidence and the amount of people that have contacted law enforcement and our office and the amount of players and individuals (who) were in contact (with Levran), we’re very concerned.”

Michigan isn’t the only state where Levran worked as a hockey team doctor. From 2011 to 2018, he lived in Fergus Falls, Minn., and for a time worked as a volunteer doctor treating players at Fergus Falls High. But he stopped working with athletes there in December 2017, The Athletic has learned, after a 16-year-old male hockey player talked of being sexually assaulted by Levran during an examination.

The player who made the allegation told The Athletic that he went to see Levran for a shoulder injury and that, after examining the player’s shoulder, Levran reached down his pants. “While I was there, he took an opportunity to grope my genitalia,” said the player, who is not being identified per The Athletic’s policy to not name sexual assault victims without their consent. “It was super random; it was super strange. I had a shoulder injury — there was no reason (for him to do that).”

At least one official at the Fergus Falls School District and individuals at Lake Region Medical Group — Levran’s employer — became aware of the alleged sexual assault. Yet local law enforcement agencies and the county’s human services department said they have no record of any complaints or reports filed about Levran beyond traffic incidents. And officials at Fergus Falls Schools and Lake Region Medical Group either declined to comment, citing privacy laws, or were vague in response to questions about how they handled the alleged incident.

It does not appear, based on interviews with players and others around the Fergus Falls program, that a wide investigation into Levran’s interactions with players in Fergus Falls was conducted. Had that occurred, former players told The Athletic, it might have revealed other examples of alleged misconduct by Levran, including another instance when a second male player says he went to see Levran for a shoulder injury and had his genitalia touched.

“We’d joke about it on the team,” the second player told The Athletic. “Go in for a shoulder (injury) and have your balls checked.”

In both Fergus Falls and Michigan, Levran was viewed as an eccentric who was eager to be accepted among the teenagers in the locker room. One year in Minnesota, players said Levran hosted a team bonding event at his home. According to one player, that party included a power yoga session that their coach attended. The boys also swam in Levran’s pool and he ordered them pizza. That player said he doesn’t remember anything outside the norm, besides some unique flourishes in Levran’s house.

“There was leopard print everywhere, and a massage table,” the player said.

Levran sometimes advised players on the trajectory of their hockey careers and extolled the virtues of yoga and meditation. Two players in Minnesota said Levran suggested that weekly yoga sessions should be performed in their underwear. He also tried to relate to players by joking about girls and sex, which some found humorous and others off-putting.

“There was a lot of conversations that, as high school boys, we thought was kind of funny,” one player from Fergus Falls said, adding that Levran used to make sexual references and talk about the “male G-Spot.”

“We were in over our heads and didn’t realize it at the time,” the player said. “It just became normal.”

Levran was known for his enthusiastic use of the topical analgesic cream Tiger Balm, rubbing it on players. Levran also offered soft tissue massages to players, though he does not hold a license as a massage therapist nor as an athletic trainer. Levran holds a license as a medical doctor, according to Minnesota and Michigan state licensing databases. According to his attorney, he is also a certified yoga instructor.

In 2017, when he was in his junior year, the first Fergus Falls High player who spoke to The Athletic said he went to Levran for a shoulder injury. In the days following the alleged sexual assault, the player was in the training room with a teammate and told his teammate what had occurred. That conversation was overheard by Todd Grothe, a trainer who, like Levran, was employed by Lake Region Medical Group. When reached by phone, Grothe said that he reported the conversation to someone but would not say who and referred all questions by The Athletic to Lake Region Medical Group and the Fergus Falls School District.

The day after Grothe overheard that conversation in the trainer’s room, the player who Levran allegedly assaulted said he was called to his school’s administrative offices and questioned about his visit with the doctor. The player said he shared with a school official what had happened and that he felt the incident was “creepy.” The player couldn’t be certain who questioned him, saying it was one of two school officials. The Athletic contacted both administrators; one said he had no memory of meeting with the player; the other said he was “not at liberty” to discuss the details. The player said neither of his parents attended the meeting.

“I was unhappy about the school bringing my son — my 16-year-old son — down to talk about this without notifying me of the issue at all beforehand,” said the player’s father.

Under Minnesota statute, most school officials and healthcare workers are considered mandatory reporters and obligated to notify law enforcement or local county social services in the event of suspected sexual abuse involving a minor (reports are then cross-reported, meaning whichever entity receives the report then notifies the other, according to a county official).

Current superintendent Jeff Drake confirmed that Levran was a volunteer for the district “for a period of time ending on December 13, 2017” but declined to answer a number of questions about the school’s response to the allegation against Levran. “I cannot comment on matters involving students due to state and federal data privacy laws,” he said. Jerry Ness, the acting superintendent during the 2017-18 school year, referred all questions to Drake and hung up the phone.

Lake Region Medical Group, when initially asked about the handling of the allegation against Levran, said in a statement that beyond confirmation of Levran’s employment dates, “Lake Region Medical Group and Lake Region Healthcare do not comment on personnel matters.”

Asked later about Grothe’s reporting of the conversation he overheard, Lake Region Medical Group sent a follow-up statement: “Todd Grothe reported concerns he observed while Dr. Levran was volunteering for the local high school hockey program to his direct supervisor. Lake Region Healthcare and Lake Region Medical Group take all such reports very seriously and the matter was escalated appropriately and immediately. We consulted with local authorities and undertook a thorough investigation, and after completed and reviewed, appropriate action was taken.”

The Fergus Falls Police Department has no records pertaining to Levran, save for a traffic warning in 2016. Otter Tail County Sheriff’s Department has no records relevant to misconduct but Levran was issued a traffic warning in 2012 and a traffic citation in 2014. Otter Tail County Human Services had no relevant records to produce.

When asked to clarify which “local authorities” were consulted, Lake Region Medical Group spokesperson Katie Johnson said the organization didn’t “have anything further to provide at this time.”

Multiple hockey players said that not long after the school became aware of the allegation against Levran, he stopped working with the program. The player Levran allegedly assaulted said he declined to pursue criminal charges because he found recounting the details of what happened “embarrassing.” He added that he initially felt guilty that his disclosure had prompted Levran’s exit but said teammates later shared similar experiences with the doctor.

Another player told The Athletic that he also went to see Levran in 2017 to get his shoulder examined. During that visit, Levran asked him to remove his pants and felt his testicles. The player said Levran told him he was just doing a check-up while he was there. That player never reported the incident to a school official but talked about it with other players on the team.

“The more we grew up and the more I’ve talked about it in (my) college years, the more it’s like ‘Oh, no, that was really weird. He probably should have been gone a lot earlier,’” the player said.

Levran’s attorney, Joseph Lavigne, when asked about the new allegations against his client, said he had no knowledge of any incidents involving players in Minnesota nor any knowledge about the end of Levran’s employment with the Lake Region Medical Group. Levran, a native of Israel, is currently out on bond and had to surrender his passport.

After leaving Fergus Falls, Levran returned to Michigan and opened his private practice. He had previously worked as a volunteer assistant with Farmington’s team (he began when his son, a goaltender, made the team in 2002), and he returned to working with local hockey players. He was known for hosting drop-in skates for players on Friday nights, renting ice time with his own money so players could refine their skills.

“A lot of people know about Doc’s skates,” Levran said in the 2007 news article in Hockey Weekly. He added that he volunteered with so many youth programs as a “service to the community.”

“Everything I do is for the kids so they can play hockey and have fun with it,” Levran said.

In a statement provided to The Athletic last week, Novi Schools superintendent Benjamin Mainka said that Levran was never an employee with the district, only a volunteer, and that his background check was current and in compliance at the time of his arrest. The school district has initiated an investigation into Levran’s interactions with student athletes “to ensure that they have not been treated inappropriately in any way.”

Asked whether anyone from the Fergus Falls School District or Lake Region Medical Group notified Novi Schools of any complaints against Levran, a Novi Schools spokesperson said they did not.

‘Hockey Doc’ charged with sexual assault faced a similar allegation years ago. How was he able to keep working with players?
Read more: https://theathletic.com/3756636/2022/11 ... l-assault/

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"Tips also have come from California, Georgia, North Carolina, Minnesota, Arizona and Canada."

Post by greybeard58 » Thu Nov 17, 2022 11:25 am

"Tips also have come from California, Georgia, North Carolina, Minnesota, Arizona and Canada."

A doctor who police say has spent two decades providing medical assistance to youth hockey teams in Michigan and Minnesota faces 10 more charges of criminal sexual conduct after being accused by patients across Michigan, authorities said Wednesday.

The Farmington Hills Police Department received 33 additional tips about urologist Dr. Zvi Levran following his initial October arrest, Chief Jeff King said, and the Oakland County Prosecutor's Office authorized the 10 additional charges in those cases.

The tips came from local communities including Novi, Livonia, West Bloomfield and Redford, King said. Tips also have come from California, Georgia, North Carolina, Minnesota, Arizona and Canada.

Levran's attorney, Joe Lavigne, has entered not guilty pleas on his client's behalf.

"We're looking forward to defending the charges," he said.

Levran has been in custody since surrendering to police on Nov. 10.

The role of sports doctors and their interactions with athletes have come under scrutiny in recent years.

Former Michigan State University sports doctor Larry Nassar was sentenced in 2018 to 40 to 175 years in prison after admitting to molesting some of the nation's top gymnasts for years under the guise of medical treatment. He was accused of sexually assaulting hundreds of women and girls.

Former University of Michigan athletes, students and others have said they were molested by University of Michigan sports doctor Robert Anderson. Anderson was director of the campus health service and a physician for multiple sports teams, including football. He died in 2008 after working at the university for nearly 40 years.

Youth hockey doctor charged in additional sex assault cases
Read more: https://www.cbsnews.com/minnesota/news/ ... ult-cases/

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"It does not appear...that a wide investigation into Levran’s interactions with players in Fergus Falls was conducted."

Post by greybeard58 » Thu Nov 17, 2022 11:28 am

"It does not appear...that a wide investigation into Levran’s interactions with players in Fergus Falls was conducted."

Farmington Hills (Mich.) Police have received 33 new tips reporting suspicious or potentially criminal incidents since the initial arrest of Dr. Zvi Levran, a well-known urologist in suburban Detroit hockey circles, they said at a news conference Wednesday.

Here’s what you need to know:
• Levran was charged last month with seven counts of criminal sexual conduct in Oakland County, Mich., after a 19-year-old male hockey player told police that on Oct. 18 he was sexually assaulted by Levran during a medical exam in Levran’s basement office of his Farmington Hills home. Levran pleaded not guilty at his arraignment on Oct. 22.
• He was arrested for a second time and charged with 10 counts of criminal sexual conduct on Nov. 11. Police said Levran is facing four new criminal complaints of sexual misconduct.
• Each of the new complaints involves allegations that Levran sexually abused patients connected to youth hockey organizations during medical examinations in his home office, according to Farmington Hills police. His next court appearance is set for Dec. 7.
• The new tips have come from individuals in local communities including Farmington Hills, Novi, Livonia, West Bloomfield and Redford, as well as in California, Georgia, North Carolina, Minnesota, Arizona and Canada, police said. Each tip has been assigned to an investigator.

Backstory
The 66-year-old was referred to as the “Hockey Doc” or “Doc,” and worked as a volunteer with high school hockey programs, including those in Farmington and Novi, off and on for nearly two decades, and he also helped with the Michigan Developmental Hockey League.

Levran was arraigned on Nov. 11 on one count of second-degree criminal sexual conduct, one count of third-degree criminal sexual conduct and eight counts of fourth-degree criminal sexual conduct, based on the four new complaints. He pleaded not guilty at arraignment, according to the prosecutor.

If Levran posts bond, which is $250,000 for each case, he will be monitored by GPS and confined to his home with specified exceptions that include travel to work, court and medical appointments, and he may not have unsupervised contact with any patients, including those who brought forward the complaints. He must also surrender his passports, according to the court website.

Levran has traveled with Team Michigan, a select group of elite players put together by MDHL, for a USA Hockey-affiliated event in Minnesota and served as an on-site physician. He performed physical examinations, treated injuries and offered soft tissue massages to players. The 19-year-old who was allegedly assaulted on Oct. 18 went to see Levran for medical treatment.

News of Levran’s initial arrest jolted the insular Michigan hockey community. Asked about the response from the public, Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald said: “I would classify it as widespread. … I want to be very careful. These are allegations, nothing more. There’s been no conviction here and he’s presumed innocent but, based on the evidence and the amount of people that have contacted law enforcement and our office and the amount of players and individuals (who) were in contact (with Levran), we’re very concerned.”

On Wednesday, McDonald added: “This is not like a normal investigation or criminal prosecution. Since this began, we have been inundated with contacts and tips and some really alarming data that makes us concerned about a lot more potential survivors.”

Farmington Hills Police chief Jeff King said the department “will leave that tip line open as long as it takes.” Both King and McDonald stressed that all tips and complaints will be investigated with a survivor-focused approach — with an emphasis on sensitivity, discretion and professionalism.

Federal agencies and state police have also been involved with investigations into Levran, in coordination with the Farmington Hills Police Department.

Michigan isn’t the only state where Levran worked as a hockey team doctor. From 2011 to 2018, he lived in Fergus Falls, Minn., and for a time worked as a volunteer doctor treating players at Fergus Falls High. He stopped working with athletes there in December 2017, The Athletic learned, after a 16-year-old male hockey player talked of being sexually assaulted by Levran during an examination. The player who made the allegation told The Athletic that he went to see Levran for a shoulder injury and that, after examining the player’s shoulder, Levran reached down his pants.

At least one official at the Fergus Falls School District and individuals at Lake Region Medical Group — Levran’s employer at the time — became aware of the alleged sexual assault. Yet local law enforcement agencies and the county’s human services department said they have no record of any complaints or reports filed about Levran beyond traffic incidents. And officials at Fergus Falls Schools and Lake Region Medical Group either declined to comment, citing privacy laws, or were vague in response to questions about how they handled the alleged incident.

It does not appear, based on interviews with players and others around the Fergus Falls program, that a wide investigation into Levran’s interactions with players in Fergus Falls was conducted. Had that occurred, former players told The Athletic, it might have revealed other examples of alleged misconduct by Levran, including another instance when a second male player says he went to see Levran for a shoulder injury and had his genitalia touched.

“We’d joke about it on the team,” the second player told The Athletic. “Go in for a shoulder (injury) and have your balls checked.”

Police get 33 new tips after initial arrest of Zvi Levran, Michigan ‘Hockey Doc’
Read more: https://theathletic.com/3905555/2022/11 ... vi-levran/

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"in nearly every case, someone else saw or knew something but didn’t report it"

Post by greybeard58 » Tue Jan 03, 2023 4:17 pm

"in nearly every case, someone else saw or knew something but didn’t report it"

Dr. Zvi Levran was arraigned last week in Oakland County Court and pled not guilty to 17 charges of criminal sexual conduct. The doctor has spent the last 2 decades working with young athletes in Minnesota and metro Detroit.

He’s accused of assaulting young male hockey players during medical exams inside his home office.

"The defendant violated his trust as a physician and assistant hockey coach to sexually assault young players in various high school and junior hockey leagues throughout the area,” said Magistrate Michael Sawicky during Levran's arraignment on Nov. 11.

Levran is the latest doctor in Michigan accused of sexually assaulting those he was entrusted to care for. It’s an issue advocates have worked nonstop to bring to an end.

“It's so disheartening to hear this is still happening in our communities and in Michigan,” said Grace French, Founder, and President of The Army of Survivors, a Michigan-based non-profit organization.

French started the organization shortly after coming forward about her own abuse at the hands of Dr. Larry Nassar.

“It makes my heart heavy to know there are abusers who are continuing to abuse," French said. "It makes me very very sad.”

French has been advocating for change ever since. She’s helped change laws, even appearing in front of the United Nations.

“When we started there wasn't any awareness that this was a pervasive issue throughout all of sports," French said. "I think people thought it was just within gymnastics.”

The US Center for SafeSport, which was created shortly after Dr. Nassar’s crimes came to light, has received more than 10,000 reports of misconduct since 2017. It keeps a database of individuals suspended or sanctioned. Currently, that database has more than 1,600 names. Those include Dr. Nassar, Dr. Levran, and 50 others in the State of Michigan.

“This is a problem that’s been hidden for a long long time and we make it very difficult for the victims to come forward,” said Farmington Hills-based attorney Bill Seikaly.

Seikaly says he has represented roughly 75 victims of sexual abuse and harassment in his career. He says in nearly every case, someone else saw or knew something but didn’t report it.

“If in your gut you believe something is wrong but your head is telling you no, believe your gut and follow that instinct,” Seikaly said.

That’s why part of the Army of Survivors' mission is education. This week they released this interactive power and control wheel to help people identify signs of abuse in sports.

“Our main goal is to make sure people have awareness that this issue is pervasive within sport, the culture of sport allows this to happen, and then also to educate people on what that looks like so it can be stopped before it starts,” French said.

When it comes to physical exams by doctors or trainers, French said doctors should explain what they’re doing while doing it, and all one on one interaction should be observable and interruptible.

“If you have a kid and you want to be in the room for that exam and the doctor says no, go to a different doctor,” Seikaly said.

“For minors, adults can be in the room, I recommend adults be in the room," French said. "That being said, my abuse happened when my Mom was in the room.”

French encourages athletes, coaches, and parents all to keep their eyes open and to know the signs, so they can interrupt abuse before it begins.

“There are so many people who are in these environments that it’s important that every person takes it upon themselves to educate themselves on the signs so they can do something about it,” French said.

You can contact the National sexual assault hotline at 1-800-656-4673.

If you have any information on Dr. Levran, contact the Farmington Hills Police tip line at 248-871-2610.

After local hockey doctor charged with sexual assault, how you can recognize signs of abuse in sports
Read more: https://www.wxyz.com/news/7-in-depth/af ... -in-sports

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Former Minnesota 'Hockey Doc' now facing more than 30 sex assault charges

Post by greybeard58 » Tue Mar 07, 2023 4:21 pm

UPDATE
Former Minnesota 'Hockey Doc' now facing more than 30 sex assault charges

A Metro Detroit doctor with decades-long affiliations with youth hockey was arraigned on new charges of criminal sexual conduct Tuesday, bringing the number of charges filed against him to 31.

Zvi Levran was arraigned on four criminal sexual conduct charges in a quick hearing Tuesday in 47th District Court in Farmington Hills. He also is facing charges in a court in Bloomfield Hills, where he was arraigned on two counts of criminal sexual conduct Monday. Those charges stem from a report from a Jane Doe in West Bloomfield Township.

The victims in each case remain anonymous at this time.

Levran worked with several youth hockey teams, including the Farmington United Hockey team, St. Mary's Preparatory High School in West Bloomfield Township and Novi High School. He also taught power yoga to schools and provided free medical care to high schoolers across Michigan, at times operating out of his home in Farmington Hills.

47th District Court Judge James Brady disclosed on the record Tuesday that he has known Levran for about 18 years due to his own affiliations with Farmington youth hockey as past president of the Farmington High School Hockey Boosters Club and the parent of a son who played hockey for Farmington High School.

"The defense has actually taken stitches out of my face from a puck," Brady said.

Brady added that the prosecution had no problem with him remaining on the case so the "puck's in the defense's zone" if they want him off the case. The prosecution and defense indicated they had no issue with Brady remaining on the case.

Levran's first accuser was a 19-year-old male in October. According to a police report obtained by The Detroit News, the teen, alongside his mother and sister, reported Levran for sexual assault to the Farmington Hills Police.

Since the initial report, others have come forward with accusations against Levran. Farmington Hills police set up 24-hour tipline at (248) 871-2610 for individuals to call and report suspected criminal activity by Levran.

Farmington Hills police Chief Jeff King said at a news conference in November that tips have come from counties around Michigan and other states including: Minnesota, Georgia, California, North Carolina, Arizona and Canada. Levran has held medical licenses in Michigan, Ohio, Minnesota, Iowa and Georgia.

King and Oakland County Prosecutor Karen McDonald said due to the nature of the tips, authorities believe there are likely more people who may want to reach out.

Levran is a licensed urologist in Michigan who had at least four medical complaints filed with the state against his medical license dating back to 2002, according to the state licensing department. Levran's website said his association with youth hockey teams began when his son played high school hockey.

Levran is being held at the Oakland County Jail. His next court date in Farmington Hills is April 11, when the chief of urology from Ann Arbor's University Hospital is expected to be brought in as an expert witness in addition to others offering testimony.

'Hockey Doc' now facing more than 30 sex assault charges
Read more: https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/ ... 953353007/

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New allegations of hazing, mistreatment of athletes within Harvard women’s ice hockey program

Post by greybeard58 » Tue Mar 14, 2023 6:48 pm

New allegations of hazing, mistreatment of athletes within Harvard women’s ice hockey program

The Harvard women’s ice hockey program, under scrutiny following a January report from the Boston Globe that alleged abusive behavior by coach Katey Stone and hazing within the program, held annual “Naked Skates” that were considered hazing by some players. And during a preseason event known as “Freshmen Fun Night,” some newcomers felt pressured to consume alcohol and simulate sex acts, according to new reporting by The Athletic.

Stone, 56, who has more wins than any other female coach in collegiate women’s hockey history, has coached at Harvard for 27 seasons. During most of those years, the hockey team held “Initiation Week,” which culminated with the “Freshmen Fun Night.” At that event, upperclassmen urged freshmen to, among other acts over the years, put condoms on bananas, fake orgasms and act out skits that referenced their sexual orientation. In some years, underaged players consumed alcohol until they passed out or vomited.

“For me, it was hazing,” said Tiana Harris, a member of the 2011-12 team.

The “Naked Skate” was painted as a team-building exercise and came later in the season, usually after the longest road trip. After arriving back on campus, upperclassmen would tell players to head to the locker room at The Bright-Landry Hockey Center. Upperclassmen would strip down and instruct other players to do the same before putting on skates and gloves to take the ice.

In some years, freshmen were ordered to take part. In other years, it was voluntary. Players from 2005 to 2023 said they witnessed or participated in the event. In some of those years, freshmen were told to do a superman slide on the ice, leaving some with ice burns and bleeding nipples.

Many players who spoke to The Athletic thought the “Naked Skate” was fun or expressed indifference to it. But it made others uncomfortable. The most recent “Naked Skate” occurred the day following the publication of the Globe story. After one player became upset about the event, Stone and her staff later met with the team and told them it was an unpermitted activity.

Players on teams dating as far back as 2002 also recalled a fining system in which team members had to pay a monetary penalty for perceived offenses. Some women were fined for their clothes or what they ate, for having a boyfriend or harboring a crush. Some players say they had to pay a “gay tax” or an “Asian tax.”

The Athletic did not find direct evidence that Stone played any role in “Initiation Week,” the fining system or was present for “Naked Skate.” But, as one player from the last 10 years said, Stone would frequently remind the players: “There’s not a single thing on this team that goes on that I don’t know about.” (That player and some others were granted anonymity because they fear reprisal from Harvard officials or the team’s alumni.)

Over the last month, The Athletic spoke to more than 30 individuals who played for Harvard or were associated with the program from this season and going back more than 20 years. The Athletic also reviewed audio recordings, videos and email correspondence from players, school officials and others.

Stone declined to comment for this story.

Backstory

The Boston Globe reported earlier this year on allegations of abusive behavior by Stone over her tenure.

Among the allegations, Stone berated the team for a subpar practice on March 5, 2022, and said it contained “too many chiefs and not enough Indians.” Maryna Macdonald, a member of British Columbia’s Ditidaht First Nation, said Stone looked at her as she spoke. Stone admitted almost immediately that she shouldn’t have said it, but Macdonald was unsettled by the comment, and after Stone left the room, Macdonald’s teammates consoled her.

Stone self-reported that remark, made in front of two players who are of Indigenous descent, shortly after it occurred. It prompted a review of the program, but in an email to one player, athletic director Erin McDermott wrote: “Please know that Coach Stone is not under investigation.” In an April 8 email to the entire team, she called the review a “deeper dive” into players’ experiences that would involve “conversations” with a faculty member and assistant dean. On July 19, McDermott let players know via email that “Coach Stone is our head coach and will remain our head coach.”

Macdonald quit the team the next day.

Macdonald is among a group of players who spoke to The Athletic and described a sense of constantly being scrutinized while in the hockey program.

She felt isolated and depressed as a freshman in 2018-19 and was frequently vomiting from the anxiety she felt each day.

After sustaining a head injury in a game on Dec. 8, 2018, Macdonald was diagnosed with a concussion. During winter break later in the season, Macdonald missed the first session of a two-a-day practice (which she could not participate in due to her concussion) because she was late flying back from British Columbia. She says Stone later scolded her in front of the coaching staff and two captains. Stone brought up that misstep continuously over the remainder of the school year and beyond, Macdonald said.

A player from the 2016-17 season told The Athletic, “the whole team was centered around shame.”

Said one player from the mid-2000s: “It makes me really angry and sad that it’s continuing to happen to these girls because I know the harm and the pain it’s caused me.”

New allegations of hazing, mistreatment of athletes within Harvard women’s ice hockey program
Read more:https://theathletic.com/4288247/2023/03 ... legations/

For more on the allegations against Harvard’s hockey program and Stone, read Hailey Salvian’s and Katie Strang’s full story here: https://theathletic.com/4288145/2023/03 ... tey-stone/

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Hazing, Naked Skates and a ‘mental-health Hunger Games’: The dark side of Harvard women’s ice hockey

Post by greybeard58 » Thu Mar 16, 2023 2:27 pm

For those of you who do not have a subscription to the Athletic here is the second link to a more detailed article

Hazing, Naked Skates and a ‘mental-health Hunger Games’: The dark side of Harvard women’s ice hockey
Hailey Salvian and Katie Strang
Mar 10, 2023
823

On Jan. 21, hours after the Harvard women’s ice hockey team fell 3-1 to Union College, Crimson coach Katey Stone walked into the Boynton Lounge, a hospitality suite within The Bright-Landry Hockey Center. It was the night of the HH Dinner, the marquee event of alumni weekend, and the room was filled with Stone’s former and current players, athletic department officials and others.
Stone, 56, has coached Harvard for 27 seasons and has more wins than any other female coach in collegiate women’s hockey history. Photos of the great players from her teams adorn a wall outside the lounge. Some of those players clustered with former teammates around the space, reconnecting, catching up about careers and families. Stone moved among them, buoyant. The drinks and stories flowed.
But amidst the socializing and revelry was an undercurrent of unease. Stone and many others at the dinner knew that the Boston Globe was about to publish an exposé about the program. Day’s earlier, current players and some alumni received an email from Stone notifying them of a coming article that would accuse her of fostering “a culture that has emotionally damaged many of the girls I have recruited.”
As they socialized, some attendees speculated about what the article might reveal and who spoke to the newspaper. Others denounced the story as a hit piece. When athletic director Erin McDermott praised Stone and her legacy in a speech, some saw it as a public vote of confidence. Holly Johnson, a member of Stone’s first team (1994-95), forcefully reminded the players and alumni that their association with the program gave them credibility. She added that the reputation of the program is sacred.
To some of the approximately 50 attendees, the event felt like an effort to galvanize support for Stone and rally people to push back against any criticism to come.
Throughout the evening, Stone projected insouciance. She danced. She took a shot of alcohol off a goalie stick with others. She offered up her crystal-studded loafers to be auctioned off. And she enthusiastically thanked those in attendance for their support.
But later, Stone met with a smaller group of former players in the team’s locker room. It is considered hallowed ground by many alumni, and printed on the door is one of Stone’s edicts, a reminder that what is said and seen in the room doesn’t leave the room. There, Stone shed the calm she displayed at the larger gathering.
“They’re trying to light this program on fire,” she said. “And we’re not going to let that happen.”
On Jan. 27, the Globe published the article, in which 16 players (three of them named), accused Stone of misconduct, including insensitivity to mental health issues, pressuring players to return from injuries, body shaming and more. The paper also reported there was hazing within the program.
The article’s most detailed anecdote centered on a racially insensitive comment made by Stone at a meeting on March 5, 2022. Stone said the team had “too many chiefs and not enough Indians.”
Stone self-reported that remark, made in front of two players of Indigenous descent, shortly after it occurred. It prompted a review of the program, but in an email to one player, McDermott wrote: “Please know that Coach Stone is not under investigation.” In an April 8 email to the entire team, she called the review a “deeper dive” into players’ experiences that would involve “conversations” with a faculty member and assistant dean. On July 19, McDermott let players know via email that “Coach Stone is our head coach and will remain our head coach.”
Over the last month, The Athletic spoke to more than 30 individuals who played for Harvard or were associated with the program from this season and going back more than 20 years. The Athletic also reviewed audio recordings, videos and email correspondence from players, school officials and others. What emerged from that reporting was a portrait of a program that, for most of Stone’s tenure, pushed and crossed the boundaries of acceptable treatment of athletes, players say, and in many years there were activities that some players considered hazing. Among the specific allegations:
• During the team’s annual “Initiation Week,” which concluded with “Freshmen Fun Night”, upperclassmen urged freshmen to, among other acts over the years, put condoms on bananas, fake orgasms and act out skits that referenced their sexual orientation. Some years, underaged players felt pressured to consume alcohol, some until they passed out or vomited. In some years, alumni came back to campus and participated in “Freshman Fun Night.”
• There was a ritual called “Naked Skate” at The Bright-Landry Hockey Center that made some players uncomfortable. Players from 2005 to 2023 said they witnessed or participated in the event. In some of those years, freshmen were told to do a “superman” slide on the ice that left some with ice burns and bleeding nipples. The most recent “Naked Skate” occurred the day following the publication of the Globe story. After one player became upset about the event, Stone and her staff later met with the team and told them it was an unsanctioned activity.
• Players on teams dating as far back as 2002 recalled a fining system in which team members had to pay a monetary penalty for perceived offenses. Some women were fined for the clothes they wore or what they ate, for having a boyfriend or harboring a crush. Some players say they had to pay a ”gay tax” or an “Asian tax.”
The Athletic did not find direct evidence that Stone played any role in Initiation Week, the fining system or was present for Naked Skate. But, as one player from the last 10 years said, Stone would frequently remind the players: “There’s not a single thing on this team that goes on that I don’t know about.” (That player and some others were granted anonymity because they fear reprisal from Harvard officials or the team’s alumni.)

Stone was allegedly an active participant in other problematic behavior. Seven players described instances from three seasons when Stone would respond to a rule infraction by leading a chant against the offending player: “I hate (player’s name)! I hate (player’s name)!” Eleven players alleged that Stone showed indifference to injuries they or others suffered. One player who suffered a head injury during a practice early in her freshman year said Stone glanced at her while she was lying on the ice and crying and barked at a trainer: “Get this kid out of here!”
One year, Stone had players fill out a survey, which included a comment section where players had to write about their teammates’ abilities. Stone then held a meeting with each player and showed those comments to them.
“It was like being a part of a cult,” Tiana Harris, who played the 2011-12 season for Harvard, wrote in an email.
The remark by Stone on March 5, 2022, was not the first time she or a member of her coaching staff made a racially insensitive comment in front of the team. During the 2017-18 season, Stone made an insensitive comment to a player from Japan during a team meeting. The next season, an associate coach did the same, according to the Japanese player and another person present.
Concerns about the program’s culture and Stone’s treatment of players were raised to school officials at least four times over the past six years. Further, a 2019 survey of all Harvard athletes revealed that the women’s hockey program ranked last among the school’s teams in player satisfaction, according to players. And athletic department officials were aware of the program’s high rate of attrition. In the last two years, nine players exited the program with eligibility remaining.
Abra Kinkopf, who played on the 2002-03 team, and many other players who spoke to The Athletic expressed frustration with Harvard’s seeming inaction in the face of so many players leaving the program. “How many would you like? How many do you need? How many is enough for you?” asked Kinkopf.
On Wednesday, The Athletic spoke with Harvard spokesperson Rachael Dane and, in a nearly hour-long conversation, went over the allegations in this story and requested interviews with Stone, McDermott, associate coach Lee-J Mirasolo and Mike Smith, the school’s faculty athletics representative. A reporter also spoke with Stone briefly over the phone and offered her the opportunity to respond to the allegations. Stone said she did not have time to go over them. Dane later said that Stone didn’t wish to speak with The Athletic at this time. McDermott, Mirasolo and Smith also declined to comment, according to Dane. The Athletic had multiple phone conversations and email exchanges with Dane over a two-day period, answering her questions about this story. She provided a statement addressing one allegation in the story – included below – but otherwise declined to comment.

“A mental-health Hunger Games”
Stone grew up in Watertown, Conn., the youngest of four kids, nicknamed “The Big Banana” by her siblings because of her bright blonde hair. She played on her older brother’s peewee team and wasn’t shy about mixing it up with the boys. Her mother was a receptionist at the prestigious Taft boarding school; her dad was the athletic director. Stone recalled sitting in dugouts with her father, keeping stats during baseball games and skating on Taft’s rink on Christmas mornings.
She played field hockey, ice hockey and lacrosse in high school – “She was just a fireball,’’ her older sister told Harvard Magazine in 2014 – before playing lacrosse and ice hockey at the University of New Hampshire.
Stone was hired to helm Harvard’s hockey team in 1994 at age 28. In 1999, the Crimson won a national championship, thrusting the program on the level of powerhouses like UNH, Providence and Northeastern.

She smartly built the program, in part, by leveraging Harvard’s academics and the network of well-connected alumni of the program. She preached the mantra 4 for 40 – where an individual played for the next four years would dictate the following 40 years of that person’s life. It helped her establish pipelines to hockey hotbeds such as Minnesota, elite prep schools such as Noble and Greenough, and feeder programs such as Assabet Valley.

When players arrive at Harvard, Stone demands total commitment, and they must abide by a stringent code of conduct. In the weeks prior to the season’s start, new players wear their high school gear or their Harvard jerseys turned inside out and are not permitted to use the locker room. Those are rights they have to earn. When “Coach” enters the room, players are instructed to sit up straight, place their hands on their knees and make direct eye contact. Arriving on time means you’re late. During the national anthem before puck drop, players know “not to move an inch.” Skate blades are in the middle of the blue line, sticks in their right hands, and helmets in their left with numbers facing out. When a player scores a goal, she has to point to the teammate who passed her the puck.
Some of the players interviewed by The Athletic said they had a positive experience playing for Stone. But she also favored a climate in which players were constantly on edge. One way she accomplished that, players say, was to create two factions, one comprised of Stone’s favorites and the other the players she disliked or disregarded. The divide was not always by skill. Often it was players who were compliant versus those who dared to have “a streak of independence,” as one player put it. The former were often deputized by Stone to monitor the latter, ferrying information to Stone about their teammates’ eating habits, personal lives, extracurricular activities and more. Some team leaders were asked for input on playing time for their peers, discipline for teammates, even dispatched to enforce dress code violations.
One person likened the environment to the Stanford prison experiment, a controversial study in which college students became prisoners or guards in a simulated prison and adopted the behaviors of their respective roles.
Some players who felt out of favor tried to claw their way into Stone’s good graces, which sometimes meant volunteering her information such as who was dating who, which players were drinking heavily on weekends and more.
“The whole team was centered around shame,” said a player from the 2016-17 season.
Many players described a sense of constantly being scrutinized. One player was informed her pants were too short. Another that an exposed metal zipper was unacceptable. Some years, players were weighed regularly and what they ate was monitored. The player from the 2016-17 season said she and others had to send a trainer photos of their meals. The trainer chided her for having a muffin on her plate. (“Is that a breakfast cupcake I see?”). Another player who played a few years earlier was told she needed to gain weight and had to down protein shakes while team captains supervised. She gained 20 pounds in six months and felt slow and became more self-conscious about her appearance. “I was in a completely foreign body,” said the player, one of three who told The Athletic they developed an eating disorder while at Harvard.
Two players on the 2016-17 team said that at the end of that season, Stone distributed something like a Likert scale survey for players to fill out that included questions about their teammates – example: Does (player name) work hard? – which they were to score from one to five. There was also a mandatory comment section and players were instructed to list their teammates’ strengths and weaknesses. Once the surveys were completed, Stone and the other coaches called each player into a meeting and showed them what their teammates wrote about them. “It was like the burn book from ‘Mean Girls,’” said one player. She said some teammates were shattered after reading harsh comments from their peers. And, the coaches didn’t name who said what, creating more mistrust among teammates.
One parent of a player from a recent season, in describing how she perceived Stone ran the program, said it was “a mental-health Hunger Games.”
In her 27 seasons coaching Harvard, Stone has 523 career wins. She has won 12 Beanpot trophies, and coached 24 All-American players, 15 Olympians and six winners of the Patty Kazmeier award (given annually to the top Division I player in the nation). She was the first woman to coach the U.S. Olympic women’s team, at the 2014 Games in Sochi. However, Harvard has qualified for only one of the last seven NCAA Tournaments.
“The longer the season goes, the more the team just falls apart, because she pits us against each other and creates this dynamic where we’re not rooting for each other to be at our best, we’re waiting for someone to fall so we can be in their shoes,” said Maryna Macdonald (2018-22).
After the five-win 2016-17 season, the worst in Stone’s tenure, two parents of players met with Lars Madsen, the chief of staff to then-Harvard president Drew Faust. One of the parents in that meeting said they told Madsen about Stone’s insensitivity to mental health issues, how she told players who were struggling that they were a burden to their teammates and that players don’t speak up due to fear of retaliation. Those parents also collected comments from other parents via email and shared some of those comments with Madsen. In those parent emails, the program was termed a “secret society.” Stone was called “a menace.” And players were said to be “scared s- – -less” to report what they were enduring. (Madsen, now at Stanford, did not respond to multiple emails and a text message requesting an interview.)
The parent who spoke to The Athletic said they never heard from Madsen after that meeting. “All I could think was: ‘Thank God my kid is finished here,’” said the parent.

“It reinforces the culture of silence”
The instructions would come via email or text sent to the freshmen class early in the school year. Those incoming players, most still teenagers, would be given costume assignments and a list of tasks to complete, with photo documentation required.
This, they were told, was the start of Initiation Week.
Most tasks were innocuous. Some were even a bit fun. Form a pyramid in the quad. Snap a photo in front of the “Pucks 9” license plate that adorned Stone’s car. But there were other, more unseemly tasks. Lick the toe of the John Harvard statue on campus. Jump inside a dirty laundry hamper after an intense practice session.
Players also were ordered to wear or carry things around campus that made them look ridiculous but were mostly viewed as harmless fun. One player had to wear a cowboy hat and pigtails, another a leather jacket and biking gloves, another had to carry a stethoscope and medical briefcase. If a player was caught without the required costume or adornment, upperclassmen might demand they drop and do pushups on the spot.
The Athletic spoke to players spanning two decades of teams. Most did not take issue with what they were asked to do or wear or carry in the first part of Initiation Week. But some felt that what was asked of them in the early part of the week crossed the line. Harris remembers a group of upperclassmen coming to her dorm in her freshman year (2011-12) and filming her while she did pushups and goading her with insults about her long-distance boyfriend. “We know your boyfriend likes it fast, but we want them slow,” Harris said they yelled.
Initiation Week culminated with Freshmen Fun Night. The newcomers met at a dorm room at a prearranged time in assigned costumes, some of which were chosen to poke fun at a freshman’s insecurities. One woman struggling emotionally and who cried often had to dress up as Oscar the Grouch, with actual garbage attached to her. Another with a very muscular, athletic build had to go as Malibu Barbie.
At the dorm room, the freshmen were met by upperclassmen, and in some years alumni of the program – who came back to help with the initiation – all of them clad in black dresses and sunglasses. Freshmen were herded into a bathroom where the lights were turned off, the sink drains covered in tape and they were told to drink until the shots of alcohol or warmed-up beers were gone. Some years, freshmen were allowed to abstain. Other years, players felt that wasn’t an option. One former player said she became so inebriated she never left the bathroom; she just laid down there.
Freshmen would eventually exit the bathroom and stand in the middle of the dorm room and be given commands. In some years, they had to recite Harvard hockey facts, like how many goals Nicole Corriero scored in her career. Sometimes, the freshmen were required to perform a song. Players also described skits simulating sex acts with each other or inanimate objects. Harris said she and others were required to do wall sits while alumni screamed at them.
When all the freshmen had gone through the gauntlet, the jeers and vitriol turned to smiles and hugs. The players were told they were now part of the team and were invited to go out partying with the upperclassmen. Some freshmen laughed off the experience, eager to be welcomed into the ranks, and found the night to be fun. But others were appalled.
“For me, it was hazing,” Harris said. She added: “You had all these alum who were super intimidating.”
One of the players from 2016-17 said she and others in her class tried to shield a classmate who was allergic to alcohol from having to partake during Freshmen Fun Night, but the classmate felt she couldn’t abstain. When the initiation ended and they were invited out for a night of more drinking, the player said she and her classmate instead headed to Harvard Yard. The two sat on the steps and cried. The player who was allergic to alcohol vomited.
For some, the torment from upperclassmen didn’t end with Initiation Week. Harris said older teammates would see her at parties and call her “titties,” a reference, she felt, meant to shame her for dressing too provocatively. When she passed on team parties to hang out with friends from her dorm, she was given a teddy bear named “Shady Bear” because, team leaders explained, she was acting “shady.”
Upperclassmen and team leaders also oversaw the fining system in which players were docked nominal amounts for perceived transgressions. Much like the initiation rituals, what a player was fined for depended on the arbiter. The offenses could be light-hearted, like for wearing the same outfit as a teammate. But players also recalled being fined for late-night hookups or associating with people not deemed “friends of the program.” Players’ bodies, eating habits and sexual orientation could all be fineable offenses. One team member was fined for having a crush on a teammate.
Players not in Stone’s good graces often felt as if they were targeted with fines more frequently. “I was an easy target. Coach didn’t like me, so they didn’t have to like me either,” said a player from the 2015-16 season.
“It reinforces the culture of silence,” Kinkopf said. “It seems silly. It seems harmless. It’s not.”
Naked Skate, another tradition painted as a team-building exercise, occurred later in the season, typically after the longest road trip of the season.
As the team bus arrived back at campus, players were told by the upperclassmen to go to the locker room at The Bright-Landry Hockey Center. Once inside, the upperclassmen stripped down and instructed others to do the same until they were naked. They would then put on skates and gloves and take the ice. Some years, freshmen were ordered to take part. In other years, it was voluntary. Four players from 11 different seasons say they witnessed a Naked Skate when freshmen were told to superman slide on the ice.
Many players who spoke to The Athletic thought Naked Skate was fun or expressed indifference to it. But it made others uncomfortable. A player from the 2013-14 team said she worried about other people who had access to the rink, including the men’s hockey team, and whether Naked Skate was being recorded by the arena’s cameras. She said she took part for just a few minutes and then left, finding the whole experience “f—ed up.”
Even amidst the fallout from the Globe article, the 2023 Naked Skate was held as usual. Confronted with that fact, Harvard emailed the following statement: Following the disclosure that a member of the Harvard women’s hockey team was upset after a non-sanctioned team event on the evening of Saturday, January 28, the women’s hockey coaches alerted Harvard Athletics to the comments and discussed next steps. Following that notification, the coaches were instructed to speak with the captains and members of the team to determine the events of Saturday, 28th. During those coach to student conversations, players involved acknowledged that they arranged a voluntary skating event at the hockey arena without the consent of Harvard Athletics. They further acknowledged that the event was not mandatory and some students participated, while others chose not to. On February 1, the coaches held a full team meeting to reaffirm that this was a non-sanctioned event that did not reflect the expectations of the Harvard women’s hockey team and clearly stated that all team activities that make any member of the team feel pressured or uncomfortable are not permitted.
In response to that statement, The Athletic emailed a Harvard spokesperson some questions, including: Did Harvard consider what occurred to be “hazing”? How did players gain access to the arena after hours? Was this the first time Stone has been made aware that team members were holding a Naked Skate? The spokesperson did not respond to that email.
All Harvard athletes must sign an anti-hazing pledge at the beginning of each season. One player from the mid-2000s felt a sense of relief when that form was distributed, only to find herself subjected to what she considered hazing a short time later during Initiation Week.
“It’s something that you think you’re protected against and it turns out there is no protection,” said a player from the early-2000s.

“They wouldn’t even call it an investigation”
When on March 5, 2022, Stone said to the team that it contained “too many chiefs and not enough Indians,” Maryna Macdonald, a member of British Columbia’s Ditidaht First Nation, said Stone looked at her as she spoke. Stone admitted almost immediately that she shouldn’t have said it, but Macdonald was so obviously unsettled by the comment that, after Stone left the room, Macdonald’s teammates consoled her.
Macdonald had considered leaving the program before. When she arrived as a freshman in 2018-19, some of Stone’s policies and the team dynamic made her feel unwelcome. Macdonald was thousands of miles away from her home, and she felt isolated and grew depressed. She was frequently vomiting from the anxiety she felt each day.
After Macdonald sustained a head injury in a game on Dec. 8, 2018, Stone came to her hospital room to deliver a keepsake puck – Macdonald had scored her first goal before the hit. But when Macdonald described the on-ice collision to a nurse, Macdonald said Stone scoffed at her description and suggested that she was embellishing.
During winter break later in the season, Macdonald missed the first session of a two-a-day practice (which she could not participate in due to her concussion) because she was late flying back from British Columbia. She says Stone later scolded her in front of the coaching staff and two captains. Stone brought up that misstep continuously over the remainder of the school year and beyond, Macdonald said.
Stone, according to Macdonald, consistently harped on Macdonald’s weight. Macdonald said she developed an eating disorder and lost 15 pounds the summer between her freshman and sophomore seasons.
Following her sophomore season, Macdonald told Stone she was struggling with the decision to return because of how Stone treated her. Macdonald said Stone apologized for making her feel that way. She also brought up Stone berating her for missing the practice she could not participate in because of her head injury. Macdonald said Stone said she wasn’t aware Mcdonald couldn’t practice.
Macdonald returned to the team but says Stone continued to criticize her about her weight. Once, when Macdonald arrived late to practice because she was receiving medical treatment, Stone started a chant – “I hate Mac! I hate Mac!” – and goaded others to join in. (Macdonald does not know if Stone was aware she was getting treatment.)
When on April 8, McDermott, the athletic director, informed the players via email of the review of the program, Macdonald welcomed the scrutiny. Macdonald says she asked McDermott why it had taken about a month after learning of Stone’s comment for the school to do something. She said McDermott told her that players needed time to “cool off,” and that the university needed to find someone who “understands Harvard” to carry out the “conversations” with players. The school chose Mike Smith, Harvard’s NCAA faculty athletics representative. He has worked at Harvard since 1992 and chaired the committee that hired McDermott.
“There was no separation on any level,” Macdonald said. “They wouldn’t even call it an investigation.”
Macdonald still took part in the review, telling Smith and Katie Colleran, an assistant dean for student engagement and leadership, about the dysfunction and the manipulation and verbal and emotional abuse she experienced.
Another player told The Athletic she also met with Smith and Colleran and said she described her time in the program to them as “(verbally) abusive and unacceptable in every regard.” The player from Japan said she told Smith and Colleran that, given how she was treated her senior year and how little she played, she felt Stone discriminated against her because of her race and background. (Colleran, who now works at Dartmouth, did not respond to an email and message on social media requesting an interview.)

On July 19, McDermott sent to the team an email with the subject “Onward and Upward.” She thanked players for their candor during Smith’s review and announced Stone would remain coach. “I believe in Coach Stone. I believe in you. And I’m excited for the future of Harvard Women’s Ice Hockey. . . Go Crimson!”
The next day, Macdonald officially quit the team.
“I don’t want to be dealing with this in my 40s,” she said. “The fact that there’s trauma that runs that deep in (former players) that have kids and careers and families, that’s ridiculous to me. That shows how terrible this whole situation is.”

“I haven’t watched a hockey game or skated since”
Macdonald’s exit was one of many.
Sydney Daniels, an assistant coach and former captain (2013-17) and a Mistawasis First Nations member, also did not return to the team. She has since filed a complaint against the school with the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination, which is being investigated. Taze Thompson, a member of Metis Nation of Alberta and Okanagan Indian Band, B.C., and the Ivy League Rookie of the Year in 2021-22, transferred to Northeastern in July.
Three other players left the program before the end of this past season.
They joined a lengthy list of players who left the program or finished their careers at Harvard disappointed and distraught:
• “I decided after two years I’d rather live my life not playing hockey so that I don’t have to be on this team anymore,” said an early-2000s player who quit because she felt constantly scrutinized and belittled by Stone. She recalled being scratched off one game-day roster after Stone looked at her plate of chicken and pasta and asked: “Is that all you’re eating?”
• “There was this feeling of I’m completely worthless and nobody will tell me why,” said another player from the early-2000s. She said Stone once criticized her for not smiling enough and told her that her teammates didn’t want to be around her. She finished her career at Harvard and said she needed therapy to work through what she experienced.
• “If you are not producing for her, she doesn’t give a s— about you,” said the player from the 2015-16 team. She was the player who laid on the ice, crying, after suffering a head injury, when Stone said: “Get this kid out of here!” Later, Stone repeatedly asked her why she wasn’t practicing, the player said. Feeling pressure to return to the ice despite still suffering from symptoms, including light and noise sensitivity, the player said she performed multiple conditioning tests on a stationary bike and failed them. She later arrived at the arena, found her bags packed, and said Stone told her she was a “disgrace” and off the team.
• “It was like I wasn’t even in the room,” said the player from Japan. During her freshman season (2017-18), when she offered a dissenting opinion on a uniform decision, she says Stone said to her in front of the team: “In this country, we make decisions democratically.” The next season, in November 2018, associate coach Lee-J Mirasolo used a team speech to lionize a WWII veteran who shot down five Japanese planes. The player had been a regular in the lineup her first three seasons at Harvard, but she barely played her senior season for reasons she says were never explained to her.
• “I haven’t watched a hockey game or skated since,” said a player who quit during the 2017-18 season. That year, she struggled with an eating disorder and felt depressed. When she met with an academic adviser to try to resolve a class scheduling conflict, she broke down in his office, sobbing, and confided in him that she wasn’t eating or sleeping and felt miserable. The adviser offered a straightforward solution:
Why not quit the team?
The player scoffed at the suggestion. It was absurd. She was an elite athlete. Like so many of the women whom Stone recruited to Harvard, hockey was who she was. But over the next few days, his words sunk in. She considered a life not filled with stress and anxiety. I could just not do this, the player realized.

She quit the team soon after and took a leave of absence from school to focus on her mental health.
The high number of players who recently exited the team – nine over the last two seasons – should have sounded alarms within the athletic department. So, too, should the results of a 2019 survey, commissioned by the faculty of Arts and Sciences, in which Harvard athletes were asked to respond to questions like “My coaches care about me as a person” and “I am treated fairly on my team.” McDermott told the team that the women’s hockey program ranked last in overall athlete culture and satisfaction. Yet no efforts to address those issues during the 2020-21 school year or the first half of 2021-22 were apparent to the people associated with those teams who spoke to The Athletic.
Said one player from the mid-2000s: “It makes me really angry and sad that it’s continuing to happen to these girls because I know the harm and the pain it’s caused me.”
Added Kinkopf: “It’s time to think, time to listen, time to make some changes.”

“You graduated before I was born”
The alumni community that made Harvard women’s hockey so appealing to recruits, that has contributed vast sums of money to the program year after year, is now a house divided. Some players desire a deep accounting of Stone’s tenure, others shout down even the mere suggestion of wrongdoing. Multiple women said they no longer feel welcome at gatherings of former players, and fear being cut off from the powerful Harvard alumni network if they speak honestly about their experiences.

“We have this thing at Harvard about a Team First mentality. For me, Team First means if someone is hurting on the team and in our community, we have to do something for those players,” said a third player from the early-2000s. “I feel like Team First for (Stone’s supporters) is protecting the legacy and protecting Katey Stone.”

This was a theme Kinkopf recently touched on in an Instagram post:
After the Globe article published, a group of hockey alumni communicated in an email chain and discussed how to push back against the article. One player on that chain, Vanessa McCafferty (1999-2002), responded to the group that she felt the story was balanced. She wrote:
I’m glad so many of you cherish her and felt mentored/supported but team first for me means acknowledging that for many players, it was a very different experience to varying degrees. It may not be a vendetta but just speaking the truth. I’m torn because I witnessed behavior that was abusive and also observed her being wonderful to other teammates. Favorites had a completely different experience and coach.

My conclusion is that be true to your own experience but also sensitive to all of your teammates.
A subsequent email from Lauren McAuliffe (2001-04) informed the group that McCafferty had been removed from the email chain. (McCafferty declined to comment). McAuliffe then encouraged alumni to sign a letter of support for Stone that would be sent to Harvard’s current and incoming president.
It would be imprecise to say that the fissure within the alumni base is generational. There are some players from recent teams who have spoken in Stone’s defense and players from her early teams who were critical of her in interviews with The Athletic. But the most vocal and public of her defenders are players from her first decade as coach, and the women who have put their names on allegations against her are predominantly from teams in the last decade.

Holly Johnson, the player from Stone’s first team who spoke at the HH Dinner and is also on the advisory board for the Harvard Varsity Club, penned an op-ed in the Globe in which she defended Stone’s coaching style as “characteristic of all coaches who demand excellence and don’t champion mediocrity in players.” McAuliffe shared an unpublished op-ed with The Athletic that stated that the criticism of Stone and the program was driven, in part, by “white players from privileged backgrounds that wanted Coach Stone fired because they weren’t getting their way.”
Meanwhile, younger alumni bristle at women from earlier generations dismissing what they endured. “You graduated before I was born,” said one of the players from the 2016-17 team. “How could you know what my experience was like?”
(Top image: John Bradford / The Athletic; Photos: Barry Chin/Boston Globe; Maddie Meyer, John Greim / Getty Images)

https://theathletic.com/4288145/2023/03 ... tey-stone/

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Harvard hires law firm to conduct investigation of women’s ice hockey program

Post by greybeard58 » Tue Mar 21, 2023 11:03 am

Harvard hires law firm to conduct investigation of women’s ice hockey program
By Hailey Salvian and Katie Strang
1h ago

Harvard has hired law firm Jenner and Block to conduct a review of its women’s ice hockey program following a report by The Athletic that detailed hazing, insensitivity to mental health issues and other problematic behavior within the team going back more than two decades.

The scope of the investigation and whether lawyers from Jenner and Block will issue a formal report is unclear. The Athletic emailed a Harvard spokesperson questions about the probe. She responded: “I have no comment.”

Some players recently received an email from a Jenner and Block lawyer that stated that two investigators were planning to be on Harvard’s campus in the next few weeks and that they would like to meet individually with players to hear about their experiences in the program and gather any relevant information they wish to share.

Following the March 10 story by The Athletic, Harvard athletic director Erin McDermott sent an email to all the school’s athletes about the “concerning reports” about the women’s ice hockey team and told athletes that “the conduct alleged does not represent who we are” and suggested that “this is a good time for reflection.” She reminded them to report any hazing or harmful behavior immediately.

This will be the second review of the program in the last 11 months. Following a racially insensitive remark by head coach Katey Stone during a team meeting in March 2022, Mike Smith, Harvard’s NCAA faculty athletics representative, spoke with players. He has worked at Harvard since 1992 and chaired the committee that hired McDermott. At the conclusion of that review, McDermott announced to the team that Stone would remain as coach.

For the March 10 story, The Athletic spoke to more than 30 individuals who played for Harvard or were associated with the program from this season and going back more than 20 years. The allegations, which expanded upon earlier accusations made by players in a story by the Boston Globe, included:
• Players held an annual “Initiation Week,” which concluded with “Freshmen Fun Night,” where upperclassmen urged freshmen to, among other acts over the years, put condoms on bananas, fake orgasms and act out sexualized skits. Some years, under aged players felt pressured to consume alcohol, some until they passed out or vomited. In some years, alumni came back to campus and participated in Freshmen Fun Night.
• Players from 2005 to 2023 said they witnessed or participated in an event called “Naked Skate” at The Bright-Landry Hockey Center. In some of those years, freshmen were told to do a “superman” slide on the ice that left some with ice burns and bleeding nipples. The most recent “Naked Skate” occurred the day following the publication of the Globe story. After one player became upset about the event, Stone and her staff later met with the team and told them it was an unsanctioned activity.
• Players on teams dating as far back as 2002 recalled a fining system in which team members had to pay a monetary penalty for perceived offenses. Some women were fined for the clothes they wore or what they ate, for having a boyfriend or harboring a crush. Some players say they had to pay a “gay tax” or an “Asian tax.”

The Athletic did not find direct evidence that Stone, who has coached at Harvard since 1994, played any role in Initiation Week, the fining system or was present for Naked Skate. But, as one player from the last 10 years said, Stone would frequently remind the players: “There’s not a single thing on this team that goes on that I don’t know about.”
Stone was accused of downplaying injuries, dismissing mental health issues, leading derogatory chants directed at players and creating a climate where players were pitted against each other to curry favor with her. One parent of a player from a recent season, in describing how she perceived Stone ran the program, said it was “a mental-health Hunger Games.”
In parent emails, Stone was described as “a menace” and the program was “a secret society” where players feared retribution if they revealed how they were being treated.
Prior to the publication of the March 10 story, Stone, McDermott and Smith declined comment through a spokesperson.

Jenner and Block is the same firm that investigated how the Chicago Blackhawks handled sexual assault allegations involving a player and a video coach during the 2009-10 season. That report, released in 2021, resulted in a $2 million fine to the Blackhawks organization and prompted general manager Stan Bowman to resign; senior vice president of hockey operations Al MacIsaac and former coach Joel Quenneville also stepped down from their jobs.


GO DEEPER
Hazing, Naked Skates and a ‘mental-health Hunger Games’: The dark side of Harvard women’s ice hockey
https://theathletic.com/4329994/2023/03 ... stigation/
(Photo: Erica Denhoff / Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

greybeard58
Posts: 2511
Joined: Sat Aug 21, 2004 11:40 pm

More former youth hockey players testify in hockey doc criminal sexual conduct case

Post by greybeard58 » Sun Apr 16, 2023 12:00 pm

More former youth hockey players testify in hockey doc criminal sexual conduct case
Anna Liz Nichols
The Detroit News
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Farmington Hills — More men testified Wednesday on reported inappropriate behavior by Metro Detroit doctor Zvi Levran, echoing earlier witnesses' testimonies that they thought they were receiving medically necessary treatment from someone they trusted or that they were too shocked to stop it.
During a two-day preliminary exam, 10 former athletes testified, including some on Wednesday who recalled incidents that happened when they were minors playing on hockey teams, including one who was 14 at the time.
Hockey lends itself to frequent injuries and players don't want to have to sit out for long, the fifth witness of the day testified. His freshman year, at age 14, he said he was struggling to get playing time and Levran would tell him to attend the open skates and yoga sessions, and Levran would put in a good word to the coach for him.
At one of the yoga sessions in 2019, the fifth witness said Levran was stretching him out and placed his hand on his genitals for 6 to 10 seconds.
"He was an adult, I was 14 at the time," the fifth witness said, tearing up. "I trusted him ... he would always listen to me and talk to me."
Two more witnesses who testified after him also were minors at the time of the reported incidents. The sixth witness said Levran instructed him to take off his clothes and do jumping jacks, while the seventh, who saw Levran when he was 16 and 17 for sports physicals in Levran's home office, said the doctor focused intently on inspecting his genitals.

Levran, 66, has more than two decades of involvement with various youth hockey teams; most of the men who testified since Tuesday had initial contact with him due to youth hockey teams.
The News is not naming the athletes due to an order by Judge James Brady not to identify them.
Nearly all of those who testified with the youth hockey connection said they trusted Levran as a physician and a person. Several who testified said they believed at the time that what the doctor was doing was medically necessary or were too shocked to immediately stop him.
The first new witness to testify on Wednesday said Levran was known in the hockey community as "the guy you saw” for medical treatment.
He said Levran, a urologist, performed urological surgery on him when he was about 12 years old.
Later, in his late 20s, the first witness, who is now living out of state, said Levran contacted him, saying he was at a conference and would like to have dinner. At the dinner, the witness said Levran asked to examine the witness’ genitals and the two went to the parking garage and Levran performed an exam in a car.
The first witness said "Doc" would do exams often and would tell patients "you're beautiful," referring to their genitals while performing the exams.
“I thought it was weird. ... I like Doc, I trusted him,” the first witness said.
In 2020, at age 30, the first witness said he was in town and reached out to Levran for a yoga session and Levran invited him to his home.
The witness said Levran began to grab and fondle his genitals during the session, without consent. He testified he didn’t resist because he was in shock, saying he felt “stuck” and he had waited too long during the interaction to say something.
A few days later, the first witness testified he began to have a difficult time reconciling with what had happened, ultimately seeking the help of a counselor.
“It was just a thing that freaked me out, thinking I might’ve been groomed since I was a kid. … It really messed me up," the first witness said.
Two witnesses testified that Levran had performed oral sex on them without consent.
Sexual conduct between doctors and patients is "unethical and unacceptable," testified expert witness Dr. Ganesh Palapattu, University of Michigan urology department chair, on Tuesday.
Palapattu said he reviewed police reports from the investigation of Levran and found a few things that might violate the American Medical Association's code of ethics.
Levran's defense attorney, Jonathan Jones, questioned Palapattu about his ability to make determinations of ethical violations based off of police reports. Palapattu didn't talk to witnesses and didn't witness the reported incidents.
More: Metro Detroit doctor facing new sex assault charges once accused of medical negligence
The third witness Wednesday testified he first met Levran when he was a senior in high school in 2008 at one of the open skates the doctor hosted for hockey players and others. Seven years later, when he and his wife were having difficulty conceiving, he contacted Levran.
He said when he went to the doctor’s home office in Farmington Hills, nothing out of the ordinary happened during the brief appointment.
In April of 2022, he testified he was facing difficulty again conceiving with his wife and set up another appointment in the doctor’s home office. This time, he said Levran followed him into the bathroom to perform a urine test.
Similar to another witness' testimony on Tuesday, the witness said Levran, without warning, permission or gloves grabbed him while he urinated.
In June, Levran performed a surgery on the third witness' testicles and at a July follow-up appointment at his home office, asked him to strip naked and perform yoga poses to test the strength of the incision. He said he complied with the doctor’s directions and did the poses until he felt the doctor’s genitals touch his arm. The appointment ended shortly after that.
“I felt incredibly uncomfortable, but at the same time I didn’t feel he would try anything fishy, being a bigger imposing man,” the third witness said.

Levran offered his home office for free to hockey teams for which he was the team doctor, a fourth witness said.
The witness said Levran gave him a sports physical at age 17 in his home office in 2018, while his father was present. Several witnesses testified that the portion of Levran's basement dedicated to the home office wasn't clearly partitioned off. The witness' father attended the appointment when his parents were skeptical of Levran and his home office and because they had not met him before.
Levran positioned himself between the witness and his father, who moved about 20 feet away in the basement to give his son privacy, the witness testified. Levran proceeded to hold his penis and tell him how nice it was, among other comments.
Levran is being held in the Oakland County Jail. Clad in a gray jumpsuit, he was present during the two-day preliminary hearing with his wife seated behind him.

Levran is facing some 30 counts of criminal sexual conduct between two courts. Farmington Hills police ask anyone who has information about possible illegal activities by the doctor, or if anyone has a personal story of abuse, to call the department at (248) 871-2610.

The preliminary examination continues May 10.
anichols@detroitnews.com

https://www.detroitnews.com/story/news/ ... 106892007/

greybeard58
Posts: 2511
Joined: Sat Aug 21, 2004 11:40 pm

Spencer reverses course, resigns from school board

Post by greybeard58 » Wed Apr 26, 2023 4:25 pm

Spencer reverses course, resigns from school board

On Monday, April 24, Chisago Lakes School Board member Cory Spencer submitted his resignation to the board.

Superintendent Dean Jennissen provided a statement after the resignation, saying, “In March, the District received a complaint about Cory Spencer. This is a personnel matter, and consistent with the District’s data privacy obligations under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act, the District may not disclose private personnel data. The District, however, can confirm that it fully investigated the complaint, and the complaint is now closed. Mr. Spencer is not currently serving as a substitute teacher or volunteer coach in the District.”

The move was an about-face for Spencer after he addressed the allegations during the open forum portion of the regular Chisago Lakes School Board meeting on Thursday, April 20.

Spencer elected to reveal the results of the school district’s completed investigation into allegations made against him.

He said he fully cooperated with the investigation and that he wanted to show transparency regarding the incident in an effort to maintain the public’s trust in the school district and in him as a board member.

He admitted that the district’s investigation determined that he had violated policies regarding excessive social contact between staff and students and transporting students in a non-authorized personal vehicle. Spencer also confirmed that the district has excused him from any substitute teaching and all other paid or volunteer services to the school district.

Despite the district’s determinations, Spencer emphasized that the allegations were not criminal in nature and at the time, remained steadfast that he is still an active board member and “that remains unchanged until such action by the board as a whole is made,” he said.

Spencer closed his statement by saying, “Actions on my part have only ever been intended to help and support kids. I would never do anything to compromise that.”

When the district first announced that Spencer was under investigation in March, he had voluntarily stepped away from board activities at that time. He resumed his board activities, however, during a midday April 13 special board meeting to vote to approve new superintendent Brian Dietz’ contract.

After Spencer’s remarks, two other speakers addressed the board in regards to the matter. “Before you tune me out thinking I'm only here to cause problems, please know that I am not. I am here to talk about problems for others tonight,” former student Taryn Lappe said as the first speaker after Spencer. “I was always taught that if an adult makes you uncomfortable with their words or actions, that you should say something. If an adult, regardless of their title, ever asked me to take pictures or ask if males are around me, I would bring it to someone's attention.”

Ashley Newman then addressed the board and revealed that she had made the formal allegations against Spencer on behalf of her daughter, a student at the Chisago Lakes Middle School.

“My daughter was subject to inappropriate contact by a substitute teacher, school board member and local police officer,” she said. “Over the course of several months, this person was having conversations with my daughter on the social media app Snapchat. In those conversations, the board member calls her pretty, invites her to his home, requests pictures of her and inquires about her whereabouts and who she's with and what she's doing. In addition to the contact, the person also took my daughter, without my permission, in his vehicle, to Starbucks. When she was working at the hockey arena, he would give her free food, hug her, and rub her back and shoulders, which made her uncomfortable.

“With all this said, I request the board reconsider the position of Cory Spencer,” she concluded.

Chief Deputy Justin Wood from the Chisago County Sheriff’s Office confirmed they had investigated the matter but it was now closed, and they found nothing to support criminal charges.

Newman did state that her now 14-year old daughter had gotten a harassment restraining order against Spencer from the district court on Tuesday, April 18. In it, county judicial referee Nicole Kralik ruled that Spencer, the respondent, “used social media to harass petitioner with repeated unwanted and inappropriate communications via Snapchat; messaging the minor child about her looks, her friendships with boys, and asking her to come over to the [Spencer’s] house. Respondent exploited a position of authority to continue the harassment.”

Kralik’s ruling also included that “the harassment has or is intended to have a substantial adverse effect on the petitioner's safety, security or privacy.

Spencer is to have no direct or indirect contact with Newman’s daughter and is barred from being within two blocks of her home or the Chisago Lakes Middle School. The order is for two years, but Newman said she would have it updated in the fall to reflect her daughter advancing to the Chisago Lakes High School.

Spencer did have support at the open forum of the board meeting, with district resident and parent Amanda Bushweiler saying, “I can understand how it looks from an outside perspective. If I didn’t know Cory as well as I do, I would certainly have questions. But I do know Cory. I know the way he relates to these kids and how many of these kids consider him more of a friend than a coach, teacher or officer,” she said. “Cory is not only the most servant-hearted person I know, he is the most caring and considerate person to a fault. There are numerous kids Cory has brought to Starbucks or candy stores or to any event that they want to go to because that is who he is and what he does. I urge you all to not jump to conclusions. I urge you to take a moment to see he’s just a man with a giant heart — a heart of a kid — who maybe didn’t consider how reaching out on Snapchat didn’t exactly translate right. Please don’t ruin my friend’s life over this misunderstanding.”

Spencer went on to participate in the rest of the meeting, but early this week, he had submitted his written resignation. He did not respond to a request for comment.

With almost a full four year term left in the position that just started in January of this year, the school board will now have to decide if they want to have a special election to fill the seat, or appoint someone.

Sarah Aadland, who was appointed to replace Melissa Donovan when she resigned from the board in the summer of 2021, was the next highest vote getter in last November’s election, with 3,722 votes, just 155 votes shy of being elected herself.

Spencer reverses course, resigns from school board
Read more: https://chisagocountypress.com/main.asp ... leID=31220


School Board member misses supt. hire vote, CL District looking into 'allegations'
by JEFF NORTON

After being a part of nearly 10 hours of superintendent semifinalist interviews, recently elected Chisago Lakes School Board member Cory Spencer was absent from the finalist interviews and missed the vote to hire new superintendent Brian Dietz on Tuesday, March 28.

The day after the meeting, the school district sent out an e-mail to parents that was signed by board chair Lori Berg and current superintendent Dean Jennissen, stating, “We were made aware of allegations regarding Cory Spencer late last week. Mr. Spencer has served as a District employee, volunteer, and Board member. Since the District learned of these allegations, Mr. Spencer has not been performing duties for the District. We immediately commenced an investigation, which remains ongoing.”

The district's e-mailed statement continued, "These types of investigations take time and we ask for the community’s patience as we do our due diligence in following up on these allegations and completing this investigation process. We recognize our public desires for more information regarding the allegations and the District’s investigation process. The District, however, is not allowed to share further information at this time due to the District’s data privacy obligations under the Minnesota Government Data Practices Act.

“Please know that the District takes all allegations seriously and is committed to providing a safe environment for all,” the e-mail concluded.

Jennissen said in a follow up that Spencer, who also is a Sergeant with the Lakes Area Police and is the President of the Chisago Lakes Hockey Association, has not been removed or censured by the board, but that he voluntarily removed himself from school board activity during the investigation.

Lakes Area Police Chief Bill Schlumbohm confirmed there is an active complaint against Officer Spencer that was filed on March 21, adding that Spencer has been on leave for “several weeks.” Schlumbohm indicated the leave started before the complaint was received and the two have nothing to do with each other.

Chisago Lakes Hockey Association vice president Neil Carlson stated that Spencer is currently on a leave of absence from their organization.

Spencer did not respond to a request for a statement.

https://chisagocountypress.com/main.asp ... M=49407.86

greybeard58
Posts: 2511
Joined: Sat Aug 21, 2004 11:40 pm

Investigation into Harvard women’s ice hockey nearing conclusion: Sources

Post by greybeard58 » Mon May 08, 2023 4:10 pm

Investigation into Harvard women’s ice hockey nearing conclusion: Sources

By Hailey Salvian and Katie Strang
24m ago

________________________________________
An investigation into Harvard’s women’s ice hockey program is winding down, according to comments investigators have made to interviewees, and a report of findings could be sent to the university within the next few weeks.

Multiple former players who spoke with investigators from Jenner & Block, the law firm tasked with probing the program, were told that Harvard will receive a confidential report of the law firm’s findings. The players were granted anonymity so they could speak freely about their conversations with investigators. One of those players said she was told a separate report would be made public. The confidential report was expected to be completed by the end of Harvard’s academic term, the former player was told.

The Harvard Crimson previously reported that Harvard spokesperson Rachael Dane wrote in an email to the student newspaper that the investigation is expected to be complete “by the end of the academic year.” According to the school’s academic calendar, spring term classes ended April 26; final exams last from May 4-13, and commencement takes place May 25. A school spokesperson did not respond to an email asking about the status of the investigation.

Additionally, The Athletic has learned that associate head coach Lee-J Mirasolo is leaving the program to take a head-coaching position at Stonehill College. She messaged the current team members with the news last week. Mirasolo took a leave of absence from the team in late March.
Harvard hired Jenner & Block to investigate the women’s hockey program following articles in The Athletic and the Boston Globe that included allegations of mistreatment and misconduct toward players by Stone as well as claims of hazing within the program.

The March story in The Athletic detailed a culture in which players were routinely pitted against each other, subjected to hazing and initiation rituals that involved forced alcohol consumption and sexualized skits and traditions, including an annual event that dates back decades called “naked skate.” In some of those years, freshmen were told to do a “superman” slide on the ice that left some with ice burns and bleeding nipples. The most recent “naked skate” occurred the day following the publication of the Globe story. After one player became upset about the event, Stone and her staff met with the team and told them it was an unsanctioned activity.

Ten days following that article, The Athletic reported that the university initiated the probe by Jenner & Block, the same law firm that investigated the Chicago Blackhawks in 2021 for allegations the organization mishandled sexual assault claims within the organization.
Stone has adopted a business-as-usual approach since allegations surfaced, according to interviews with those close to the program and a review of internal communications. In one recent group chat with other Harvard coaches, Stone posted a photo with a caption that read:
“Uncoachable kids become unemployable adults. Let your kids get used to someone being tough on them. It’s life.”

https://theathletic.com/4500054/2023/05 ... on-update/

greybeard58
Posts: 2511
Joined: Sat Aug 21, 2004 11:40 pm

Banned or Disciplined coaches update 5-16-23

Post by greybeard58 » Tue May 16, 2023 2:24 pm

Name: Tyler Ferrell
City: Forest Lake
State: MN
Sport Affiliation(s):USA Hockey
Misconduct: (Subject to appeal / not yet final); Criminal Disposition - Sexual Misconduct
Action Taken: Ineligible
Additional Detail
Date of Issuance: 05/15/2023
Adjudicating Body: U.S. Center for SafeSport

greybeard58
Posts: 2511
Joined: Sat Aug 21, 2004 11:40 pm

Re: Banned or Disciplined coaches

Post by greybeard58 » Mon Jun 12, 2023 5:03 pm

Name: Cory Spencer
City: Chisago City
State: MN
Sport Affiliation(s): USA Hockey, USA Softball
Misconduct: Allegations of Misconduct
Action Taken: Temporary Restriction(s)

Additional Detail: Coaching / Training Restriction(s), Contact / Communication Limitation(s), No Contact Directive(s), Travel / Lodging Restriction(s)

Date of Issuance: 06/12/2023
Adjudicating Body: U.S. Center for SafeSport

greybeard58
Posts: 2511
Joined: Sat Aug 21, 2004 11:40 pm

update 6-17-23

Post by greybeard58 » Sat Jun 17, 2023 8:09 pm

Name: Derek Lilleberg
City: Sartell
State: MN
Sport Affiliation(s): USA Hockey
Misconduct: (Subject to appeal / not yet final); Criminal Disposition - involving a minor; Criminal Disposition - Sexual Misconduct
Action Taken: Ineligible
Additional Detail
Date of Issuance: 06/16/2023
Adjudicating Body: U.S. Center for SafeSport

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