People Attempting to Undermine Safe Sport

[ladyj79]

In horse sport in the US people are happy to train with banned felons for decades, so vague safe sport allegations --even a ban-- don’t have the same impact as a criminal proceeding might impact some people.

[Max123]

I’m involved in a few other sports through my children. The equine world is the one putting up the biggest stink about Safe Sport (in the most pathetic and disgusting manner if you ask me). I think skating is coming in at a close 2nd. The sports my children are involved in - the coaches do their training and go about their business. The numerous pages I follow on Facebook and Twitter for these sports, there is not one argument that I have seen against the process and only promotion of Safe Sport from those in the organizations.

[LilRanger]

RIght? It’s like everyone else can agree that hurting kids is bad, Safe Sport is needed and changes should be done through proper channels, as opposed to what this group is doing, which is complaining about keeping kids safe, and moaning on social media how unfair it all is to adults to have to be responsible.

[oreo_mom]

Safe Sport is certainly not an issue at WEC is it? Amazing how all that has just gone away !

[LilRanger]

I have no idea what you are telling me. What is going on at WEC?

[ghst13]

As @oreo_mom has been told many times, WEC is honoring SafeSport suspensions so unless they can point out a suspended member who is actively showing there I believe this is just stirring the pot. If there is a sanctioned member showing at WEC it should be brought to the attention of show management.

[oreo_mom]

Schooling rules not being honored. Why would you think SS being honored? The stewards won’t be asked back if they make a fuss over anything. That’s common knowledge. I would agree that any objectionable comments from the ingate or judges booth will be quickly addressed.

[EmilyM]

Im showing at WEC and I’ve never seen so many schooling ring stewards at a show before. What rules are not being upheld?

[ghst13]

The problem of stewards not making a fuss so that they’ll be rehired by show management is prevalent at USEF shows as well. That’s common knowledge. Same for judges.

I’m unclear what violations of SafeSport you believe are occurring.

[LexInVA]

James Prettyman of Pickwick Stables/Dedication Farm in Maryland, which also hosts an IEA team, has been added to the Safesport list for allegations of misconduct. Tony Sanchez of Petaluma, California has also been added to the list for allegations of misconduct. Carolyn Krome has been added to the Safesport suspension list for “Abuse of Process”, which appears to be connected to her hosting that GM clinic at her farm last year, and given a rather meaningless 1-month suspension from the end of Jan to Feb.

[ghst13]

Note that Prettyman is not currently suspended but had been put under travel/lodging/coaching/contact restrictions of some kind.

I think the sanction for Krome tells us that they will pursue those who break the aiding and abetting clause. It’s a minor suspension but it will be interesting to see if they try and hold another GM clinic this year. Or if they do a better job keeping it under the radar. A second offense would likely receive more substantial punishment since it can’t be argued they didn’t know it was prohibited the second time around.

[fair_judy]

As soon as I read your quote I knew it was Navin.

[LexInVA]

Piers Lloyd-Owen has been added to the list, with a suspension for sexual misconduct. Most of you won’t have any idea of who he is, but he’s a minor fixture of Eventing in the Nor-East region and is often announcing or found at social gatherings.

[Jealoushe]

@LexInVA

Piers Lloyd-Owen has been added to the list, with a suspension for sexual misconduct. Most of you won’t have any idea of who he is, but he’s a minor fixture of Eventing in the Nor-East region and is often announcing or found at social gatherings

YUCK

[LexInVA]

Iranian/US rider and California show Organizer Ali Nilforushan has been added to the Safesport list for allegations of misconduct.

[LexInVA]

Prettyman’s current wife is divorcing him, as of the end of last year, and his previous wife and business partner, Heather, apparently divorced him due to domestic violence and had taken out a protective order against him.

[MHM]

Is the IEA following Safe Sport and the suspensions?

[Tackpud]

Yes - IEA and IHSA both adhere to SS requirements including suspensions.

[MHM]

Thanks. I thought that was the case, but I wasn’t positive.

[YankeeDuchess]

@SolarFlare

More from AES today:

A Case of Mistaken Identity: A SafeSport Scenario

*AES has purposely changed the sport and/or other details as to not lead to the identification of

any reporting party, respondent and/or witness.*

A popular, successful, family man and Olympic medalist who was a member of the Olympic ski team in the 1984 Sarajevo Winter Olympic Games has for 37 years coached and helped athletes with dreams of skiing in the Olympics. This Olympian has a short and muscular build with a low center of gravity great for balance in downhill skiing. He’s traveled and skied around the world, eventually making his home in Lake Placid.

Three years ago (2018) a SafeSport report was filled against the Olympic skier alleging sexual assault of a then 18-year-old female when the Olympian skier was 25 (34 years ago).

Because the procedure at SafeSport is to release only the initials of the reporting party to the accused, the Olympic skier had no recollection of the conduct alleged. SafeSport and the Olympian exchanged e-mails regarding an interview that would not have a record provided of the questions & answers, nor were notes or recording of the Interview allowed. With no exchange of information from SafeSport to the Olympian and no record of the requested interview there is an inability to prepare a response to an accusation with no facts or evidence other than an assault allegedly happened in ski area in California in January 1989 and the reporting parties initials.

The interview process could not be agreed to between the Olympian’s counsel and SafeSport. Thereafter, SafeSport declared publicly on the SafeSport suspension list and notified two NGBs (Skiing & Para-Olympic Alpine as the Olympian was a coach and member of both NGBs) that the Olympic skier was banned for life for sexual misconduct with a minor. No investigation had taken place and no defense had been available for the Olympian to prove by travel records he was not in that location on the date in question. The Olympian having had extensive travel also had extensive records of where and when he was on the January date in question which amounted to concrete and relevant evidence.

Due to the NGB & SafeSport public notice of the lifetime-ban from sports the internet was full of the unfounded accusations and what would be proven to be a case of mistaken identity. When a real opportunity to have the allegations against the Olympic skier was discussed with the description of the perpetrator considered and the dates and locations of the alleged assault substantiated, it was discovered the assault on the teenager in California in 1989 was a 6’3” slim man. The Olympian skier falsely accused is under 6 ft and travel records had the Olympian verifiably in another location outside the USA on the date in question.

When all this information was reviewed by SafeSport they dropped the case and issued reinstatement directions to the two NGBs. It was great news for the Olympian but what about the permanent internet slander of the Olympian’s name? Reputation? The impact on his family when a Google search bringsup the SafeSport suspension and not the mistaken identity which was missed by SafeSport investigators along with the permanent ban for sexual misconduct? It effectively and unfairly ruins the Olympian’s public record.

Questions

Why must SafeSport procedures jump to conclusions publicly without fully investigating allegations?

Why must the interview process be so difficult and risk an incorrect conclusion when the weight of the SafeSport decision bears such public harm?

Where are the safeguards and verification of the SafeSport report so mistaken identities are prevented before sanctions are implemented and announced publicly?

I wonder if this is an attempt to make the Bob McDonald case anonymous. I was surprised the McDonald case was not otherwise mentioned by AES.