I really don’t care how they word it.
They are blurring the lines and that is not good for the process.
I read the wording. It does not make sense.
Well, it’s not sexual, but we call it that anyhow.
There is a ton of real estate between sexual misconduct and ‘just’ mental cruelty. It should not be blended together.
But that is just my opinion.
I think the institution is not helping itself here.
excellent points
I wonder how long it took for GM’s victims to be believed.
and depending on the activity boys are often put down for being ‘weak’ or girlish
I mean…wtf…female is bad…
The Salazar case is unclear in many ways, because we don’t know EXACTLY what was the fact pattern that supported his Safe Sport ban. It’s assumed that it was the weight shaming, since that’s what’s been made public. But perhaps there was a more explicit example of sexual misconduct that has not been made public.
If it was the weight shaming, then I have to admit I’m not comfortable with that being characterized as sexual misconduct. I absolutely understand that you have to define sexual misconduct broadly to ensure it captures borderline conduct. At the same time, eating disorders/fat shaming are pervasive among both male and female athletes in competitive running. And they are handled very differently, depending on gender. The sport is extremely sensitive to the issue of women with eating disorders, to the point where discussing a female runner’s weight is considered a third rail. At the same time, the current mindset is to be dismissive of the possibility of male eating disorders. Defining fat-shaming as a female issue does neither gender any favors.
[it’s worth noting that Salazar coached equal numbers of men and women, and his male athletes were often extremely skinny.]
I noted the Salazar Safe Sport ban because it’s an example of a ban that does not appear to be based on explicit sexual misconduct, though it ended up falling into that category. It’s a contrast to what we’ve seen in equestrian, where all Safe Sport actions seem to be grounded in allegations of clear sexual misconduct.
I wonder if the focus on sexual misconduct in Safe Sport is in part because it’s easier to define and condemn. There is simply no point in any sport where sexual misconduct is acceptable or defensible. In contrast, one person’s bullying may be another person’s aggressive but effective coaching - it’s a harder thing to parse out in the sports context.
I tend to agree. If a coach is subjecting athletes to mental abuse and encouraging eating disorders, that could certainly be grounds for a ban if it’s bad enough, but I don’t think sexism or making disparaging or damaging comments of a non-sexual nature about someone’s body should be lumped in as “sexual misconduct.” Bullying, sexism, and mental abuse should not be taken lightly, but I feel like there should be a distinction made between people who engage in that sort of behavior and people like GM and JW who were actually raping minors.
The consequences of bullying, sexism, fat shaming or actual rape should be a ban, regardless of their comparative severity. I would never want any coach who engaged in such behaviour to get near any children. Is it ever right to bully, belittle, shame, mock a child and get away with it because it wasn’t physical rape? Is any damage caused to one child ever less important than damage caused to another?
well, it’s kind of like giving you a speeding ticket for parking in the wrong place. Both are trafic violations, but not the same.
And I think the charges should reflect that.
Oh yes because religious types have always had the best interests of children and women at their core…well except for those pesky residential schools, sex abuse scandals, purity culture, Irish babies scandals etc… But other than that all good👍
I totally agree that bullying and mental abuse should not be tolerated and should also be grounds for a ban, but I think that the reason for the ban should be made clear and not conflated with sexual abuse.
Labeling a bully/body-shamer as guilty of “sexual misconduct” has the connotation that they’re a sexual predator and pedophile, which isn’t necessarily true (although it’s certainly possible to be both). I can’t say I’d lose too much sleep over the feelings of a mentally abusive bully, but it still doesn’t quite sit right with me to label them as such.
No one should be fat shamed.
I don’t think the verdict would have been different. My husband is LE and said there is no way you could mistake the taser for your duty weapon. Not its weight or feel or look.
Sort of unrelated but really no where else it fits…
Showing up on my facebook recently are loads of gymnastic “reels” (or whatever they’re called - short videos). I hate to say it but - it makes me uncomfortable to watch male gymnastic coaches spotting for young girls. How easy it would be for that to go sideways.
Admittedly I am ignorant as I was never in gymnastics - what would “motivate” a male to want to coach gymnastics for young girls? There are gobs more females than males in the sport (it seems) - why such a disproportion of male coaches? I have the same question about OBs, FWIW. What would motivate a man to want to do that? I’m not saying they shouldn’t be allowed or anything… just that it makes me raise my eyebrows and have a titch of distrust right from the start.
Even the videos of the REALLY young girls doing cheerleading lifts/flys (again, whatever they’re called) give me the squicks. Very talented young ladies, and I get that the sport requires touching/grabbing/throwing… but in light of all the allegations… man, does it make me uncomfortable to watch.
Don’t watch. Easy solution
Right, because God did such a good job watching over the girls assaulted by Nassar. 
Since there is no god, we responsible humans should probably pay attention.
You know, when we’re not sacrificing cats and stuff.
Edit: Don’t go all fire and brimstone on me, was in Xian schooling for more than 15 years of my life and can mop the floor with you on biblical knowledge. People like you are why I turned away from it - the blazing hypocrisy and arrogance. Remember, the prostitutes are entering the kingdom of heaven before the self-proclaimed righteous ones…
Gymnastics has different levels and you’ll find different people coaching at those levels. At the club/private team level, you find fewer actual athletes and more “Gym Teacher” types. At the college level, you have a lot of former athletes - Gymnastics or other sports - who became coaches. At the highest levels, you have a mix of both. The Karolyis themselves were not gymnasts and barely qualified as competitive athletes in their younger days, but became renowned because they produced winners and that’s what gets you success and recognition in Gymnastics, not your background.
My question though is why so many men? For tumbling spotting- is it the strength needed? I understand for the cheerleader throwing/balance a whole body on one hand thing, the upper body strength needed negates many women.
I don’t know. Just made me feel… not warm and fuzzy to watch an adult male manhandle a young woman.
It’s a question that has been posed time and again in recent days, but there is no conclusive answer that seems legit. Most female Gymnasts drop out of the sport after they hit adulthood and never go back, while quite a few males end up becoming coaches, but those men who become coaches do not (statistically speaking) seem to be the ones who coach at the club/private gym level where most of the abusers are being found and have dubious credentials beyond phys ed experience/certification/degrees. The local Gymnastics darling in my area has had many male sex offenders, on it’s payroll as instructors, and there are plenty of other similar instances elsewhere, so I can only say there is empirical data that it’s a simple matter of opportunity for many abusers, who want access to potential victims. Youth gyms are also said to be big money-makers for owner-coach types, so there’s a lot of profiteering going on there too, which attracts the less than honest types.
sexism.
It was long ‘understood’ that women can’t do certain jobs, like high level coaching, even women sports they excelled in.
And you have to find sports for all those high school athletic wonders who didn’t make the major leagues…
In other areas, men (still) have more spare time to volunteer.
Your cringiness about a male spotting a female athlete is the other side of the Nasser ordeal: A small percentage of men are actual perverts. The majority are just regular buys.
Its the same with men and riding, not many at the lower levels but a lot at the top. Men are usually fearless and strong and so if they want to be competitive they will be.
I think a lot of gymnast men come from cheerleading also where they play a vital role.
A very small percentage of men are perverts who act upon their impulses. The other perverts aren’t doing anything illegal, but I still wouldn’t want them touching my daughter or son.
It’s strange though, because women’s gymnastics has got to be one of the top-watched olympic sports. I wouldn’t say that high-level tumbling is male dominated, but it sure seems the coaching is.
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