News Summary
Sarah Ehekircher has settled a lawsuit against USA Swimming and others regarding sexual abuse allegations from the 1980s involving her former coach. The settlement details remain confidential. Ehekircher’s attorney highlighted systemic issues within the swimming community concerning abuse by male coaches. The case underscores the need for greater protections for athletes, particularly minors, and reform in the sport’s culture, which has often allowed such abuse to persist.
Denver—Sarah Ehekircher has successfully reached a settlement in a lawsuit against USA Swimming, Scott MacFarland, Colorado Swimming, and the Mission Aurora Colorado Swim Team (MACS) over allegations of sexual abuse that date back to the 1980s. These allegations claim that MacFarland, who was Ehekircher’s coach during that time, sexually abused her.
Details of the settlement, including any financial terms, have not been disclosed as they are confidential. This information was confirmed by Ehekircher’s attorney, Jon Little. The lawsuit was originally filed in California in 2020 but was moved to Colorado in late 2022, during which Canada Swimming, MACS, and the Cherry Creek School District were also named as defendants. The Cherry Creek School District was ultimately dropped from the lawsuit.
Little highlighted the common issue of sexual abuse perpetrated by male coaches within the swimming community, explaining that USA Swimming has faced challenges in obtaining insurance due to numerous similar cases. He stated that the culture both within USA Swimming and Colorado Swimming has contributed to an environment that allowed such abuse to persist unchecked.
Ehekircher has accused USA Swimming of attempting to discredit her claims and of actively hindering her pursuit of justice by withholding evidence from the US Center for Safe Sport. The lawsuit detailed the profound emotional distress that Ehekircher suffered as a result of the abuse, resulting in three suicide attempts and necessary hospitalization for depression.
The lawsuit initially included five claims against the defendants, but motions to dismiss four of those claims were filed last year, with three motions ultimately denied. However, the claim for negligent infliction of emotional distress was dismissed after being combined with another claim of intentional infliction of emotional distress, following California law standards.
According to the allegations, MacFarland, who coached the Mission Viejo Conquistadores—now known as MACS—allegedly raped Ehekircher for the first time at a swim meet in Irvine, California, when she was just 17 years old. Reports indicated that her living situation with MacFarland was known by the Cherry Creek School District while she was still a minor. The lawsuit also asserts that MacFarland raped her multiple times before she reached the age of 18.
In 2010, Ehekircher initially attempted to file a complaint against MacFarland, but USA Swimming did not take action on it. She publicly disclosed her allegations in 2018, which led to MacFarland retiring from coaching following the media attention her claims received. Little noted that the prevalence of male coaches within swimming poses ongoing safety risks for athletes, advocating for a greater representation of female coaches within the ranks of USA Swimming.
This settlement concludes a notable case that sheds light on the exploitation and abuse issues prevalent in the sport of swimming, emphasizing the need for reform and increased protections for athletes, especially minors. The culture of silence surrounding such misconduct has been a significant barrier to justice for many survivors in the field.
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Additional Resources
- SwimSwam: Sarah Ehekircher Reaches Settlement
- Wikipedia: Sexual Abuse in Sport
- SwimSwam: Court Denies Motions to Dismiss
- Google Search: Sexual Abuse in Swimming
- SwimSwam: Alex Walsh on Aerobic Training
- Encyclopedia Britannica: Swimming
- SwimSwam: Brayden Capen’s Commitment
- Google News: USA Swimming Lawsuit
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