What Rapist International Swimming Hall of Fame Coach Paul Bergen Is Up to These Days
June 6, 2013Michael Phelps’ Coach, Bob Bowman, Talks About His Mentor, Rapist International Swimming Hall of Famer Paul Bergen
June 6, 2013
Muchnick Flashback: A Few Words About ID’ing Sex-Abusing Swimming Coaches
What Rapist International Swimming Hall of Fame Coach Paul Bergen Is Up to These Days
Paul Bergen molested his swimmer Deena Deardurff Schmidt beginning when she was 11.
In 2010, ESPN’s T.J. Quinn confronted USA Swimming chief Chuck Wielgus about this on camera. Here’s the transcript excerpt:
Quinn: When she [Deena Deardurff Schmidt] tried to pass along the name of the coach that molested her to the organization [USA Swimming] years ago, she was told that she couldn’t file a complaint because she wasn’t an active member.
Q to Wielgus: After her press conference, you didn’t reach out?
Wielgus (smirking): No, I did not.
Q: Why not call her and say what is this? Who is the coach? What can we do?
Wielgus: Well … I wish she would file a complaint, but …
Q: She had a press conference. That’s a pretty public complaint if you want to call it that. Why do you have to wait for a piece of paper to initiate an investigation?
Wielgus (smirking): Well, I would like for her to name a name. Ideally, she should name a name and go to the police. If she will name a name to us, we’ll go to the police, but.
Q: But you haven’t called her and asked her?
Wielgus (smirking): I have not called her and asked her.
Q: Should you have?
Wielgus (smirking): In retrospect, I guess the answer to that question would be yes. But if I were to call somebody every time I heard a rumor …
Q: That’s not a rumor. That’s an Olympic champion giving a press conference saying she was not only abused …
Wielgus: A rumor about a name.
Q: Yes, but I’m saying that does not seem like a sign to somebody that the organization has become more proactive. What does it say to you?
Wielgus (smirking): Sounds like I should call her up and talk to her.”
Next: Michael Phelps’ coach, Paul Bergen protege Bob Bowman, talks about Bergen and horses.
Irv Muchnick
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Tim Joyce
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