Gracie Gold faces her traumatic past in stunningly candid memoir

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Gracie Gold faces her traumatic past in stunningly candid memoir

It is tempting to see Gracie Gold’s story mainly as a compelling cautionary tale about the mental health risks of a sport in which the pursuit of excellence must start when athletes still are children.

It is also tempting to see Gold’s story as sui generis, the result of a childhood, adolescence and young adulthood spent in a family whose dysfunction she describes with raw detail in the memoir, OUTOFSHAPEWORTHLESSLOSER, published Tuesday.

Seeing it as one or the other would be a simplistic reaction to a story so complex it recalls a landmark 1957 movie, “The Three Faces of Eve.”

Rather than Eve’s multiple personalities, Gold had three different personas.

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Vanessa James says she was unaware of former pairs partner's alleged sexual abuse, apologizes for her silence on subject

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Vanessa James says she was unaware of former pairs partner's alleged sexual abuse, apologizes for her silence on subject

Canadian pairs skater Vanessa James insisted Thursday she was not aware that her former partner, Morgan Cipres, had been involved four years ago in alleged sexual abuse of a 13-year-old girl who trained at the same Florida rink.

This was the first time James, who competed for France with Cipres at the 2014 and 2018 Olympics, has addressed the subject. She apologized for silence some may have deemed hurtful.

Speaking during a press conference in advance of next week’s Skate Canada Grand Prix event, James said, “I’m deeply disappointed that my ex-partner would engage in that type of behavior.”

James said she had not thought of making a public statement until now because “it was an ongoing investigation, and it was something that I was not involved in in any way.

“Though I could have or should have supported victims of abuse, people that know me – and I hope the whole world – know I’m a good person, and I condemn that type of behavior.

“I chose not to make a statement, maybe to my regret, but I hope that victims and survivors know I commend their bravery, and I support them and believe them. I am sorry if my silence hurt them in any way.”

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SafeSport calls out figure skating for unchecked "culture of abuse"

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SafeSport calls out figure skating for unchecked "culture of abuse"

 In response to a U.S. Figure Skating letter that challenged its credibility and operating methods, the U.S. Center for SafeSport has criticized figure skating for a culture that “allowed grooming and abuse to go on unchecked for too long.”

SafeSport leveled that charge in a statement sent to Globetrotting that also rejected a USFS request made last week for the Center to complete its investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct made against late pairs skater John Coughlin.

It a Feb. 26 letter to the SafeSport board of directors, USFS cited concerns about the way SafeSport handles such allegations as a reason for wanting the investigation finished.

“Many U.S. Figure Skating athletes and members have expressed concern to U.S. Figure Skating leadership over the Center’s actions and shared that they have lost trust and confidence in how the Center processes allegations of abuse,” the USFS letter said.

SafeSport’s Monday statement said its work on the Coughlin case and “other Figure Skating matters” had uncovered evidence that there “was/is” a wider problem of abuse in the sport.

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U.S. Figure Skating disappointed over all questions left unanswered by SafeSport decision to end investigation into allegations against late national champion John Coughlin

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U.S. Figure Skating disappointed over all questions left unanswered by SafeSport decision to end investigation into allegations against late national champion John Coughlin

 The U.S. Center for SafeSport has ended its investigation into allegations of sexual misconduct against the late figure skater John Coughlin despite a strongly worded request from U.S. Figure Skating to complete the process.

That news was contained in an opaque statement Tuesday from SafeSport spokesman Dan Hill “regarding its (the Center’s) application of interim measures in response to recent events.“

The statement did not mention Coughlin by name, which Hill indicated in an email was a SafeSport policy.  Its critical point, made obtusely, was Coughlin’s death precluded the need to continue:

“Since the Center’s response and resolution process works to protect the sport community and other covered persons from the risks associated with sexual misconduct and abuse, it cannot advance an investigation when no potential threat exists,” the statement said.

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U.S. Figure Skating calls on SafeSport to continue investigation of misconduct allegations against the late John Coughlin

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U.S. Figure Skating calls on SafeSport to continue investigation of misconduct allegations against the late John Coughlin

DETROIT - United States Figure Skating has asked the U.S. Center for SafeSport to complete its investigation into allegations against the late John Coughlin and “encouraged” SafeSport to involve a third party in the investigation.

“U.S. Figure Skating believes it is imperative that the Center complete its investigation,” USFS executive director David Raith told a press conference Thursday at the U.S. Championships.  “We believe the Center has an obligation to all involved in our (skating) community to do so.

“We also suggested they hire a third-party investigator or outside counsel to handle that.  (If there are) any conflicts, having a third party go forth would hopefully settle that matter.”

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