Utah Swim Whistleblower Fiascone Expects ‘Positive and Conclusive’ Resolution in Dean of Students Sideshow

Austin Fiascone — the former Utah swimmer whose complaints to the university administration ultimately led to the current board of trustees-ordered investigation into the cover-up of the abusive regime of coach Greg Winslow — gave us this statement on his meeting today with the campus dean of students.

I was contacted last week by the Dean Of Students office and was informed that two individuals had filed complaints against me alleging that I had made comments to them “that have been perceived as intimating, coercive and hostile.” While I was shocked and disheartened to hear of these allegations, I was immediately suspicious about their authenticity and the intentions of the individuals who had filed the complaints because I knew they were unfounded. Additionally, after having experienced for the last 6 months the complete incompetence of the University of Utah’s administration, I was hesitant to even engage in a dialogue with them over the matter.

After much thought and deliberation, my father and I decided to face these allegations head on because of our certainty that, although we have been let down by the school administration before, justice would ultimately prevail and the truth would come to light.

I was pleasantly surprised at how kind and understanding the Dean of Students administration was in regards to my ongoing situation as a whistleblower. They allowed me ample opportunity to refute all the allegations that were made against me and explain for them why these allegations may be surfacing. I explained to them that while there is an overwhelming amount of evidence that has come to light confirming that former swim coach Greg Winslow was a racist, abusive to his athletes both physically and mentally, and vengeful of anyone that opposed him, there are still individuals who believe many of the lies that he told them, including the insidious amount of lies he told the team about me. I expressed to them that while the last 6 months have been very difficult for me because of the large amount of abusive, hurtful, and intimidating remarks that have been directed at myself and my family by students, I was not interested in reporting any of it because I do not wish any more harm to the swim program or my teammates, many of whom suffered through similar amounts of torment just as I have.

While it is disappointing to learn that there are still individuals who do not comprehend what a monster Winslow was, or the good that will come out of his dismissal, including the imperative shift in the athletic department’s culture of protecting coaches not athletes, I do not wish to and cannot force their thinking. I anticipate a positive and conclusive resolution to the matter from the Dean of Students office shortly.