(CNN) — Longtime coach Richard Callaghan has been permanently banned from US Figure Skating afterwards he was accused in a lawsuit of sexually abusing an underage figure skater.
The action comes after the US Center for SafeSport — the US Olympic Committee agency which has exclusive authority over allegations of sexual misconduct — stated Callaghan was permanently ineligible to participate in any competition or activity having to do with the US Olympic Committee or the sports national governing body.
US Figure Skating adopted the sanction, powerful Wednesday, he said on its website.
Earlier this month, Callaghan was accused of sexually abusing US figure skater Adam Schmidt over the span of two years, starting when Schmidt was about 14 years of age. The abuse occurred while Callaghan was the lawsuit alleged coaching Schmidt, and afterwards at a contest in San Diego.
US Figure Skating formerly declined to comment on the lawsuit, but said itsupports most of victims of sexual abuse and misconduct and encourages anyone who has been mistreated or suspects abuse or misconduct to immediately report it to law authorities, the U.S. Center for SafeSport or U.S. Figure Skating.
The ice skating center stated the asserts in the suit werequite serious anddeserve a thorough investigation. The facility stated it was notified by information outlets and asks and had to obtain the lawsuit.
The US Center for SafeSport suspended Callaghan at March 2018, after allegations he made sexual advances as early as 1976 toward a second figure skater, who stated he had been 13 at the time.
Within a email, Callaghans lawyer, Dean Groulx, told CNN that the ban declared asad day for US Olympic sports. A true giant US figure skating is subject to a lifetime ban without due procedure.
Groulx blasted SafeSport, stating that the teamchanged its principles in the center of its evaluation of Richard Callaghan to carry out what can only be characterized, in my opinion, as a witch hunt.
Schmidt is a former associate of the US National Figure Skating Team, his attorneys said.
This statement is a major success for all whove suffered abuses by the prior legend of figure skating, Mr. Callaghan, Schmidt said in a statement Thursday. He went on to accuse US Figure Skating of developing aculture of abuse which lasted decades and today will be the first of many successes to emerge in reversing that.
And Schmidts lawyer, John Manly, hailed the decision, telling CNN,It should have been done in the 90s. Its fantastic news however small comfort to those he hurt.
Callaghan trained figure skater Tara Lipinski to a gold medal. In addition, he coached 1996 world champion Todd Eldredge.

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