Olympic skater Ashley Wagner says she was raped at 17 by another skater

Olympic figure skater Ashley Wagner, a 2016 World silver medalist and three-time US national champion, told USA Today Sports that in 2008, while he was attacked at a party sexually when she was 17. They called her attacker as a fellow skater John Coughlin, who was 22 ° Coughlin, who had died by suicide on January 18, he has been charged with three other sexual misconduct prior to his death. One of the accusers was the former skating partner Bridget Namiotka Coughlin, who said he attacked and controls for a period of two years. She was his companion, while the age of 14 and 17 have “I was a young skater through the ranks in a sport judged to come,” Wagner said USA Today. “I did not stir the pot, I wanted nothing to add to my career that I would seem undesirable or dramatic. I did not want the athlete in figure skating to be known as that cause problems.” TIME has representatives from Wagner reached for comment. Wagner tells the events of the attack in detail told USA Today that he was at a party at a friend’s house in Colorado Springs. They can make back to their hotel, were offered for the night along with other girls a bed to sleep. She says Coughlin came to the bed in the middle of the night, kissed her neck and groped. Wagner says she moved too frightened, at first pretended to remain, she was asleep, hoping that he would leave and stop, but decided to get away from him when he appeared not want. “I opened my eyes and I pulled away from him as he kissed my neck,” he said. “I grabbed his hand invasions, and I told him to stop. And he did it … All this happened in a period of about five minutes, and this is a small amount of time, but it haunted me ever since.” Wagner, now 28, said at the time of the attack, two close friends said, but did not choose to officials. He said he saw the attack on the US Figure Skating (USFS) in February after allowing you to feel the #MeToo movement, and the 13-year-old would Alysa Liu decided to report this year, a US national champion at the start. “I want to do for the kids do this sport,” said Wagner. In his interview with USA Today, Wagner described a culture of the island and social circles mixed older and younger skaters to create an environment that can endanger children. “What should you do with Ashley not someone to pass the time.” Said spokeswoman Barbara Reichert USFS in a statement to USA Today. “Ashley is incredibly strong, not only to have the courage to come to us with their history, but their experiences to the public to help others to share.” Investigations charges against Coughlin were not lost after his death. The first accusation of sexual misconduct by Coughlin was reported to the US Center for Safe Sport. On 17 December Safesport unspecified restrictions on its ability willing to participate in figure skating, while an investigation was in progress, (According to the space security code, the type and severity of a particular restriction is at the discretion of the center. ) In January Safesport had two more reports on sexual misconduct received, this time with the children, a safe leading sports and USFS a provisional suspension, 17 January Coughlin died the day after the suspension was announced. After the first decision in December Coughlin Sports USA Today he said in an emailed statement that the allegations were “baseless.” “While I wish they could talk freely over the unfounded allegations raised against me, keep me from the safe sport rules is because the case remains pending,” he said. “I note that only Safesport release the statement in itself has found that a request in no way represents the determination of safe sport or that there is a decision on the request.” Wagner is working with the USFS safety measures for young skaters to implement and their experiences with coaches, athletes and parents talking. If you or someone you know is considering suicide may be, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255 or text HOME to 741,741 the crisis to reach the line of text. In case of emergency call 911 or seek care from a local hospital or mental health provider.
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