USA Swimming hit with another sexual abuse lawsuit
August 12th, 2010 - 7:17 pm ICT by ANIWashington, Aug.12 (ANI): A new lawsuit has engulfed USA Swimming, and this time the organization is being accused of having knowledge of sexual misconduct by a California swim coach and still allowing him to coach children. The suit was filed by Jancy Thompson, a former Olympic hopeful who alleges that her former swim coach Norm Havercroft at West Valley swim club in San Jose, California, began sexually molesting her when she was 15-years-old.
Also named as defendants are Havercroft, West Valley, and Pacific Swimming, the regional swim organization under USA Swimming.
“What I’ve gone through has been absolute hell. I was robbed of a normal childhood and never performed to my full potential,” ABC News quoted Thomson, as saying.
Sources say that USA Swimming attorneys and insurance brokers attended a mediation session with another alleged victim of Havercroft’s in 2002, which ended in a confidential civil settlement with Havercroft.
Documentation obtained by ABC News shows two mediation sessions in the case held that year.
In a discovery document from a 2009 sexual abuse lawsuit against USA swimming involving another coach, the organization denied having any knowledge that Havercroft had “inappropriate relations” with any swimmers.
USA Swimming and Pacific Swimming did not immediately respond to a request for comment. (ANI)
- Open Water Swimmer Fran Crippen Passes Away - Oct 25, 2010
- Kiwis banking on young swimmers to make golden splash in Delhi CWG pool - Oct 02, 2010
- World record holder Pierse to lead Canada's swimming challenge - Sep 17, 2010
- Canadian swim team for Delhi CWG announced - Sep 16, 2010
- Oz sprint coach says Thorpe must shed kilos for Olympics comeback - Feb 04, 2011
- Has Spears settled harassment lawsuit? - Mar 02, 2012
- US, India facing same challenge: Envoy - Oct 27, 2011
- Oz swimmer Ian Thorpe may announce London Olympics ambitions soon - Jan 30, 2011
- Kiwi swimmer Bell's future on the line over Delhi CWG booze-ban violation - Oct 16, 2010
- Former Olympic star Huegill admits using drugs - Sep 25, 2011
- Swimming Australia plans to lure Phelps for Thorpe showdown - Apr 03, 2011
- Troubled waters: Delhi belly too much for Hurley to stomach - Oct 05, 2010
- Teenage swimming sensation Seebohm to spearhead Oz challenge at CWG - Aug 27, 2010
- New model to measure organic carbon in surface waters - Mar 05, 2011
- Australian swimmer Rice pulls out of CWG - Aug 20, 2010
Tags: abc news, absolute hell, alleged victim, attorneys, civil settlement, discovery document, insurance brokers, jancy, mediation session, mediation sessions, norm, olympic hopeful, san jose california, sexual abuse lawsuit, sexual misconduct, swim club, swimmers, thompson, thomson, usa swimming