Petition to Kick Abusive Coach Andy Gabel Out of the Speedskating Hall of Fame Passes 500 Signatures. Which Name And Which Sport’s Hall Is Next?

by Irvin Muchnick

On Wednesday we reported the new public petition, coordinated by Women’s Sports Foundation senior director of advocacy Nancy Hogshead-Makar, seeking to get coach Andy Gabel thrown out of the Speedskating Hall of Fame and U.S. Speedskating.

Again, the petition is at http://www.change.org/petitions/u-s-olympic-speedskating-board-of-directors-remove-andy-gabel-from-the-speedskating-hall-of-fame-and-revoke-his-lifetime-membership-in-u-s-speedskating?share_id=ACzrfCXWkM&utm_campaign=share_button_action_box&utm_medium=facebook&utm_source=share_petition.

One of my favorite posts so far in the comments section is from Eva Rodansky, who writes:

“I represented the USA on the World Cup circuit in speedskating from 2001-05. The sport was an ‘old boys’ club’ in which female athletes were treated with disrespect. Gabel was president of USS at the time, and was a complete jerk to me because I didn’t give him the hero-worship he seemed to expect from younger female athletes. Rumors flew about his inappropriate conduct with female athletes, but until Bridie [Farrell] and Nikki [Ziegelmeyer] came forward, they were ‘just rumors.’ Let’s support these brave women and take a stand against those who abuse their power over women in sports!”

Sources say this is just the start of a new surge of initiatives by the Women’s Sports Foundation on sexual abuse in amateur sports. Follow Concussion Inc. next week for more on this developing story.

FURTHER READING:

National Olympic Chief Blackmun Holds Up Sex Scandal-Plagued U.S. Speedskating — Like USA Swimming — As a ‘Model’ Governing Body. Some Model.