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January 25, 2019by Irvin Muchnick
We’ve reported on how Sarah Ehekircher, asked by USA Swimming for new evidence establishing that the National Board of Review got it exactly wrong in 2010 by not taking any action against a coach, Scott MacFarland, who probably committed statutory rape against her, and in any case groomed and abused her across years, did exactly that. See https://concussioninc.net/?p=13367.
Set aside for a second the only reasonable interpretation from the original kangaroo court hearing: that the board allowed into the record only a small fraction of the information Ehekircher had submitted to the so-called Safe Sport department, and “prosecuted” MacFarland (who was allowed a lawyer while Ehekircher wasn’t) with the interests of the organization at the forefront and not the victim’s.
There’s also Ehekircher’s submission of new statements from two pro-MacFarland witnesses; one of them entirely recants what she said in 2010. Ehekircher v. MacFarland needs is a big fat do-over — and one that appropriately puts USA Swimming’s deceptions and inaction on trial as well as MacFarland’s abuse.
Ehekircher now tells Concussion Inc. that USA Swimming has indicated, though less than formally, that it will move toward a NBOR hearing 2.0 by February 1, a week from Friday. That is the date by which Liz Hahn, swimming’s current top Safe Sport executive — her title has become “Senior Manager” — expects to learn what next action, if any, the U.S. Center for SafeSport contemplates. Ehekircher had filed a complaint with the new center last March.
Ehekircher shared a January 17 email in which Hahn said, “I know that it all continues to feel like a waiting game. I’m sorry for that, and I feel it in a way too.” Hahn said USA Swimming wanted to hear the SafeSport Center’s decision in order to have the best sense for next procedural steps. She added that she would get back to Ehekircher “certainly no later than 2/1.”
Complete chronological leaks to the background of the Sarah Ehekircher case: https://concussioninc.net/?p=13125