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Three-time Team USA Olympic golden medalist women's swimmer Nancy Hogshead has won a monolithic ineligible triumph for jock safety.
A national judge successful Chicago has dismissed a $250 cardinal suit revenge against Hogshead by Rick Butler, a salient inferior volleyball coach accused of sexually abusing underage players. The suit was revenge successful December 2021 by Butler and his woman Cheryl, targeting statements Hogshead made successful 2017 and 2018 regarding allegations that Butler sexually abused teenage girls that he coached successful nan 1980s.
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Jenna Johnson, Nancy Hogshead, Carrie Steinseifer and Dara Torres of nan United States observe winning nan women's 4x100-meter freestyle relay during nan 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games astatine Olympic Swim Stadium. (Porter Binks-USA TODAY NETWORK)
"For decades, Rick Butler has talked his measurement retired of nan consequences that should person flowed from nan findings that he sexually abused his insignificant athletes; he could beryllium very convincing. While important grounds existed that would person enabled reasonable group to reason that Rick Butler posed a superior threat to girls, it was difficult for families and nan volleyball organization to accurately measure that risk. That grounds is now plain for each to see," Hogshead said successful a connection to Fox News Digital.
The suit alleged Hogshead's statements were portion of a malicious effort to ruin nan couple's volleyball business. But because Butler is simply a nationalist figure, nan tribunal ruled his defamation-style claims grounded because he could not found "actual malice."
The judge's determination affirms that sports organizations, advocates, survivors, journalists and nonprofits person nan legal right to coming a grounds of abuse, moreover erstwhile nan coach is operating extracurricular a circumstantial sports arena.
"Survivors, whose coach has been recovered to person sexually abused them, merit much than nan abuser’s sanction posted connected a little-known database astatine nan U.S. Center for SafeSport," Hogshead added.
FORMER UTAH STATE VOLLEYBALL STAR SAYS SJSU TRANS SCANDAL CAUSED INJURED FINGERS, SHATTERED DREAMS
Nancy Hogshead, elder head of defense for nan Women's Sports Foundation, attends nan 40 For 40 arena celebrating 40 years of Title IX astatine nan JW Marriott Hotel successful Washington, D.C., connected June 21, 2012. (Larry Busacca/Getty Images)
"The national protections we acquired for athletes are inadequate erstwhile nan sports organization does not proactively stock their disposable records and grounds erstwhile they study a banned coach continues to person entree to athletes. Disciplinary findings must beryllium shared some wide and successful a targeted fashion, arsenic Champion Women did here. We must contradict abusers entree to athletes. It is highly distressing that Rick Butler continues coming to coach young girls."
Butler's lawyer Danielle D’Ambrose provided a connection to Sportico addressing nan ruling.
"While we respect nan judicial process, we powerfully disagree pinch aspects of nan Court’s determination and judge important actual and ineligible issues stay unresolved," D’Ambrose said.
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Olympic golden medalist Nancy Hogshead poses for a photo. (Courtesy of XX-XY Athletics)
U.S. Magistrate Judge Young B. Kim ended nan lawsuit past week. He granted summary judgement to Hogshead, her nonprofit Champion Women and co-defendant Deborah DiMatteo.
The judge ruled their defense was afloat protected by nan First Amendment. They were speaking connected a captious matter of nationalist concern: nan threat Butler posed to young girls.
The judge ruled Butler's mislaid gross was nan earthy consequence of his ain documented sexual misconduct, not a conspiracy.
Jackson Thompson is simply a sports newsman for Fox News Digital covering captious governmental and taste issues successful sports, pinch an investigative lens. Jackson's reporting has been cited successful national authorities actions related to nan enforcement of Title IX, and successful bequest media outlets including The New York Times, The Los Angeles Times, The Philadelphia Inquirer, The Associated Press and ESPN.com.
