US Speedskating Bad Actor Michael Crowe Is Shelved by Speed Skating Canada
Helping Figures Like George Gibney Cross National Borders Is at the Heart of the American Swimming Coaches Association’s Business Model
January 16, 2018What American Speedskating Abuse Whistleblower Eva Rodansky Wrote About Busted Canadian Olympic Coach Michael Crowe — 12 Years Ago
January 18, 2018by Irvin Muchnick
Virtually on the eve of the opening of the Winter Olympics, Speed Skating Canada has launched an investigation of national team head coach Michael Crowe — who had assumed that position in 2015 after being fired by US Speedskating — and placed him on leave.
The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation’s Devin Heroux broke the story here: http://www.cbc.ca/sports/olympics/speedskating/michael-crowe-speed-skating-canada-investigation-1.4489632.
The speedskating scandal follows the sexual abuse narratives at USA Swimming and USA Gymnastics. Though it is not yet clear exactly what precipitated the sidelining of Crowe, Concussion Inc. covered the allegations of his past misconduct at the time he was hired in Canada.
This site also is proud to have been a platform of sport-wide reports of abuse in speedskating — from the campaign to get legendary skater and coach Andy Gabel kicked out of the Hall of Fame to our piece about 1960s skater Vickie Swanson’s alleged abuse at the hands of her uncle and coach Richard Howard Hunt.
Speedskating whistleblower Eva Rodansky wrote a guest column for us and was a source for numerous articles. Rodansky also submitted testimony to now-retired Congressman George Miller during his 2013-14 probe of abuse issues in Olympic sports programs.
As developments with the Crowe story at CBC unfold, below are our assembled, and I hope close to comprehensive, background links.
Guest Columnist Eva Rodansky on Why the USOC Is To Blame For U.S. Speedskating’s Olympic Woes in Sochi
National Olympic Chief Blackmun Holds Up Sex Scandal-Plagued U.S. Speedskating — Like USA Swimming — As a ‘Model’ Governing Body. Some Model.
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?
Speedskating’s Andy Gabel Has a Playbook For Sex Abuse Accusers: Threaten to Sue Them
U.S. Speedskating’s Andy Gabel Decision Shows How Molesters in That Sport, As in Swimming, Continue to Roam Free
What the Former USOC Athlete Ombudsman Probably Knows About Swimming Abuse – What He Surely Knows About Speedskating Abuse
With Capitol Hill in Holding Pattern on Amateur Sports Abuse Investigations, Here’s a Glimpse of the Testimony to Congressman Miller
Michael Crowe, Defrocked American Team Speedskating Coach, Now Has the Same Job in Canada
U.S. Speedskating Dissidents Resubmit Proposal to Ban Accused Molester Andy Gabel
Olympic Hopeful Turned 50-Year Abuse Survivor — In an Exclusive Interview, Speed Skating’s 1960s Golden Girl, Vickie Swanson, Explains Why She Disappeared