NPR’s Up First podcast touched on Ariana Kukors’ civil lawsuit filed against USA Swimming, among others, and the congressional hearings including USA Swimming CEO Tim Hinchey, in Wednesday’s issue. The daily 10-minute distillation of the biggest stories of the day from on-air NPR personalities Rachel Martin, David Greene, and Steve Inskeep, dropped a bombshell in Wednesday’s episode.
The episode includes a brief clip of an interview with Sarah Ehekircher, talking about her relationship with Scott MacFarland that allegedly started when she was a minor. Then, reporter Alexandra Starr began discussing Kukors’ civil case and said on air that the lawsuit claims that “another Olympic swimmer is going to come forward and that another Olympic swim coach will be named…in the weeks ahead.”
After reviewing the lawsuit, we were unable to find a section that explicitly said that another swimmer was going to come forward and name another coach. This section seems to be what the reporter is referring to:
15. After that “investigation,” and despite at least one other complaint by another Olympic swimmer that he, along with another Olympic coach, engaged in sexually inappropriate behavior with her and her brother, HUTCHISON was allowed to remain in good standing with a completely clean records a member of USA Swimming as owner of the member
club KING AQUATIC, per USA SWIMMING’s publication. No report was made to the police. In the words of none other than SCHUBERT, USA SWIMMING “failed miserably” in its socalled “investigation” concerning known childhood sexual abuse committed by HUTCHISON against plaintiff.
Reports of a sexually-explicit text message between Hutchison, another Olympic coach, and a swimmer have swirled over the last month, but SwimSwam has not been able to obtain the text message in question. We have asked Kukors’ attorney Bob Allard if he can confirm the existence of that text message, and if, in fact, the swimmer will be coming forward in the next “few weeks” as was reported on NPR, but as of posting have not heard back.
The episode of NPR can be heard here, on the Wednesday, May 23rd edition. The discussion of abuse within Olympic sports is toward the end of the podcast, beginning around the 9-minute mark.
It does seem to be a bit of a stretch for NPR to read part of a lawsuit the claims there was once a complaint (presumably years ago) and turn that into Olympian will come forward. That is, unless they’re sitting on information.
NPR doesn’t stretch on things like this. Read the lawsuit.
OK- Just read through the lawsuit. So I repeat that unless they are sitting on information that is otherwise not public, it’s a bit of a stretch to go from other Olympic swimmer once complained to Olympian is ready to come forward.
My apologies. I considered this so ridiculous that it would introduce some levity into a pretty dreadful situation. The “edit” option appears to be disabled — otherwise I would delete this.
It was funny.
Not when it’s at the expense of someone’s name/reputation. I’m sure you would agree if your name was in there.
Putting names forward, even in jest, connected to an article like this is wrong.
Evil wins the day you can’t poke fun at it.
I’m sorry, but where were the parents?
It’s clear there were rumors swirling around, so what did the parents do?
I had a coach (not a swimming coach) who was rumored as being too intimate with the underage (later proven true), and so my mum immediately took me out of that club.
Look up what “grooming” is in relation to sexual predatory behavior…. it involves grooming the parents as well. Also, by this logic all those arranged marriages in most states and around the world of a 12 to 16 year old girl being married off to a 30-50 year old man are all just okay with you because the parents said it was okay with them even though the “bride” was against it…
But if parents don’t know what is going on with their underage child and everyone else denies it, then why or how should usa swimming be blamed?
I do agree that perhaps the parents should have been more proactive. However, hind sight is always 20/20, and blaming the parents is like blaming the victim in some sense because the illegal act was carried out by the coach. Perhaps Hutchinson knew something about the family situation and exploited that as well.
So everybody who had those mean coaches who did not like any one at all , let alone them feel a lot better now .
I can’t even really tell what you’re trying to say, but I’m guessing from the screen name you have chosen that your purpose is to offend.
Op is saying people with angry and mean coaches probably feel lucky that those coaches didn’t molest them. It’s a reasonable and kind of funny point.
No, this person has a history of offensive comments. My guess is that what they probably mean is: “what is to stop someone from accusing a coach they hate of this crime now that its out there”…. In other words, this is someone who has a history of victim shaming and would blame a woman for being sexually harrased because “they were asking for it” by any number of reasons like wearing a skirt that shows their knees, or a V neck shirt.
Or someone who would argue there should be a white history month, or thinks while male privilege is either not a real thing or a disadvantage in today’s world.
Let me clarify, I do NOT… Read more »
They are not going to be able to accuse such a coach of grooming , long term sexual relationship if the coach does not like them or anyone much at all.
Other forms of accusations can be made but not Kukors style . Got it?
In other words, this sum ting thinks it is a bunch of sour grapes and is trying to say that everyone who hated their coach growing up or had a bad relationship will use this a fuel to accuse them of sexual misconduct or predatory behavior.
Let me also clarify, that I do NOT agree with Sum Ting… But I have seen them comment over and over again with obvious “troll” posts and I believe that they are doing the same here.
Sum Ting punctuates like GINA. Could be the same person. Also, both have terrible opinions and viewpoints. Thoughts?
Yes, GINA/Sum Ting is a troll, but sometimes there’s actual truth to her posts. I’m not speaking on the Kukor’s situation here, but there have already been far too many coaches wrongfully accused.
You got it .
Watch for a quick, quiet resignation or someone dropping off the grid. It’s like the family of the kid who pooped in the pool: they’re the ones who vanish as soon as the lifeguards call Code Brown and close the pool.
If this one comes down, I don’t see anything being quick or quiet.
I should clarify: a quick, quiet, PREEMPTIVE resignation…
A sudden retirement for personal reasons
Sucks for anyone who might actually be retiring for personal reasons…
My guess is that someone has already been quietly “let go” in the last month or two that is the person named though…
Perhaps I am being cynical. but my money is on most likely an apology because he got caught (not because he truly has regrets) and the coach continuing to occupy a lofty position within the sport. I’ll hope for better and more serious consequences.
At the very least, I don’t see the university keeping this coach employed (unless they had their head in the sand, they have to know about $500 million and MSU), and I really don’t think Congress will let this one slide.
Where did they say the coach coached at a university? Did I miss that, or are you just assuming that’s the case? Just wondering
Rumor has it this one is biggest big of all. So no quiet or quick.
Ideally this take down scares the next generation of coaches so hard there’s a meaningful reduction in this type of behavior.
Braden, I’m kinda confused. But that’s not surprising. The portion of a lawsuit labeled “15. After that investigation … ” is from whose lawsuit? Is it from Kukors’ lawsuit or Ehekircher’s?
Kukors’
The tricky part of the Kukor’s issue is Hutchinson waited until her 18th birthday before getting more aggressive.
There isn’t anything tricky about it. He groomed her from well before then. Clear violation. Period.
The complaint says that they had sexual contact when she was 16 and 17.
“But we didn’t go all the way until she was 18” is a losing legal argument when the victim has been molested.
No, according to her, he started sexual contact at 16. I still don’t understand why this isn’t in criminal court by now?
Maybe because you don’t know all the facts?
Adding to this, the rumor is that there are possibly hundreds of underage photos of Mrs. Kukors Smith. If those are unearthed from the devices confiscated, it doesn’t matter if intercourse didn’t happen until 18. Child pornography is child pornography, and if found he will be going to jail. Additionally, “sexual acts” include more than just intercourse. ANY sexual contact, not just intercourse, before the age of consent is against the law.