USA Diving accused of ignoring sexual abuse by former coach
By admin - 2018-11-19 02:04:29

USA Diving is accused of ignoring or obstructing sexual abuse allegations made by at least one former Indiana University diver against a former coach.

According to the Indianapolis Star, Attorney John Little, who filed the lawsuit, said that a number of divers have come forward with sexual abuse allegations. He reportedly said this “this is just the beginning for USA Diving,” and described the situation as “worse than gymnastics, worse than swimming.”

The accusations against USA Swimming came to light in May when a former Olympic swimmer Ariana Kukors Smith sued the governing body alleging that officials knew she was sexually abused by coach Sean Hutchison while she was a minor. The diving lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court last week, describes the all-too-familiar abuse of power between a coach and an athlete.

Two former divers accuse former coach Will Bohonyi of coercing and forcing them into frequent sex. Bohanyi, who also coached at the Ohio State University Diving Club, has been on USA Diving’s list of banned coaches since 2015, but the lawsuit alleges that the ban didn’t take place until six months after Ohio State University investigated one of the women’s allegations and fired him.

According to the lawsuit, it was during that time that Bohonyi forced one the girls to perform sex acts numerous times while she was a minor. She also sent him hundreds of naked photos. The girl was an Olympic hopeful, according to the suit, having competed in the U.S. Olympic Trials at age 13.