Rapist Coach Rick Curl’s Victim’s Lawyer Blasts USA Swimming Procedures
BULLETIN: Rapist Coach Rick Curl’s USA Swimming Credentials ‘Provisionally Suspended’
August 1, 2012Washington Post: Rick Curl ‘Accepts’ Provisional USA Swimming Suspension
August 1, 2012Bob Allard, attorney for Kelley Davies-Currin, issued this statement on USA Swimming’s announcement of the postponement of Rick Curl’s “emergency hearing” and imposition of a “provisional suspension”:
“It is unfortunate that Mr. Curl has been allowed to dictate the process. Ms. Currin deserves the issuance of swift and immediate justice. It is interesting to note that when an athlete, a decorated Olympic champion nonetheless, smokes pot, his membership is quickly suspended without a hearing but when a coach is accused of sexual molestation he not only is entitled to a full hearing but is allowed to control when it is conducted by ‘waiving his right to an emergency hearing.’
“This is yet another example of how USA Swimming has created a double standard by placing the interests of coaches far above those of athletes. Further, this is a cop out by USA Swimming by putting this matter off until after the Olympics have concluded so as not to create an uncomfortable distraction. Either way this development is shameful and a slap in the face to Ms. Currin as well as all of those who have sexually molested by USA Swimming member coaches.
“Bravo, USA Swimming! You have managed to re-victimize your member swimmers once again!”
I am somewhat more sanguine than Allard about this outcome. It’s certainly true that justice delayed is justice denied, and USA Swimming, with dodgy and made-up-on-the-fly rules, has postponed its dog-and-pony-show adjudication of the Curl matter until after the Olympics.
But it’s also true that this announcement comes during the Olympics – the sport’s peak quadrennial fortnight of attention.
And that means that it’s up to the major media to join the ConcussionInc. blog in disseminating the news.
As Bob Costas, NBC’s Olympics anchor, put it in an interview this week for Yahoo Sports’ ThePostGame: “Any good broadcast — not just an Olympic broadcast — should have texture to it…. Where called for it should have journalism and judiciously it should also have commentary.”
What say you, NBC? Whether live or by tape delay, the 300,000 young athletes of USA Swimming and their families deserve the latest information on Rick Curl.
Irv Muchnick