MAG Naddour Cleared

[skschlag]

Alex Naddour has been cleared by SafeSport to compete and coach....

 

[raenndrops]

Good!

 

[2G1B]

For the coaches and people more "in the know" on the board, are there likely to be any changes to how these things are handled. Like possibly not a tweet broadcasting the name before there is an investigation. I definitely want each instance investigated, but this process doesn't seem quite right to me...

I found this quote in an article about the suspension being lifted, "
The U.S. Center for Safe Sport, which handles sexual misconduct matters for the U.S. Olympic movement said it does not comment on specific matters per policy.

Neither organization, nor Naddour, has commented publicly on the matter related to his suspension."

Naddour did have the public tweet saying that he had been cleared, but that and his name being removed from the list seems to be the extent of official information.

Safe Sport clearly makes public announcements (via Twitter, which really seems a questionable platform IMO) about who is suspended, and looking through their tweets I see that for some they have said that various people are removed from the "interim suspended list", but nothing for situations like with Naddour. It seems like they need to publicly say that people are removed/found innocent after they so publicly put it out that they are under investigation.

 

[2G1B]

Oh, and here is the twitter page where they post all of this:
Link Removed

 

[krc]

Oh, and here is the twitter page where they post all of this:
Link Removed

@2G1B The "tweeting out" of new suspensions has been stopped. Only permanent suspensions are now reported. Newly suspended members are only added to the list after an interim hearing.
This is the current procedure to the best of my knowledge.

KRC

 

[2G1B]

@2G1B The "tweeting out" of new suspensions has been stopped. Only permanent suspensions are now reported. Newly suspended members are only added to the list after an interim hearing.
This is the current procedure to the best of my knowledge.

KRC

That is GREAT! It seems like such common sense to me that what they were doing was not a good idea. Too bad for the people who were innocent who got caught up in this before some common sense was applied (like Naddour).

 

[Flipfloppy]

That is GREAT! It seems like such common sense to me that what they were doing was not a good idea. Too bad for the people who were innocent who got caught up in this before some common sense was applied (like Naddour).

Naddour being clear doesn't mean that he's "innocent." It means the Center for SafeSport wasn't able to prove the allegations.

The Center for SafeSport takes interim suspension seriously, especially for a current athlete. For a current athlete to have been suspended, that means the report contained specific credible information from a specific, credible person. However, it's very difficult to prove a case made by a third-party reporter if the victim declines to cooperate. (And of course, a victim declining to cooperate doesn't mean the victim is "okay" with what happened. There are lots of reasons a victim may decline to cooperate from fear of retaliation to fear of retraumatization, etc.

Based on my experiences, I'd have a hard time advising anyone to cooperate with a SafeSport investigation. At the same time, I know there are children in danger and that his behavior hasn't changed, either the grooming or the sexual abuse, and I couldn't live with myself if I didn't cooperate and allowed him to hurt yet more girls. But there have been many moments when I've wondered if I will survive the SafeSport investigation. It has been psychologically and emotionally very damaging.

 

[2G1B]

Naddour being clear doesn't mean that he's "innocent." It means the Center for SafeSport wasn't able to prove the allegations.

The Center for SafeSport takes interim suspension seriously, especially for a current athlete. For a current athlete to have been suspended, that means the report contained specific credible information from a specific, credible person. However, it's very difficult to prove a case made by a third-party reporter if the victim declines to cooperate. (And of course, a victim declining to cooperate doesn't mean the victim is "okay" with what happened. There are lots of reasons a victim may decline to cooperate from fear of retaliation to fear of retraumatization, etc.

Based on my experiences, I'd have a hard time advising anyone to cooperate with a SafeSport investigation. At the same time, I know there are children in danger and that his behavior hasn't changed, either the grooming or the sexual abuse, and I couldn't live with myself if I didn't cooperate and allowed him to hurt yet more girls. But there have been many moments when I've wondered if I will survive the SafeSport investigation. It has been psychologically and emotionally very damaging.

Are you speaking about the Naddour case specifically (about that you know there are children still in danger, that he hasn't changed, that he is grooming kids)? Or are you speaking about a different coach whose investigation you are involved in and worried it is not going to be properly handled?

Another question to those who know more about these situations... Why aren't these instances being investigated primarily by the police? I can understand it being a safe sport only issue if the incident is between an adult coach having a sexual relationship with an adult athlete that was consensual (so while legal, still not appropriate), but if anyone under age is involved shouldn't the police also be involved??

 

[raenndrops]

Another question to those who know more about these situations... Why aren't these instances being investigated primarily by the police? I can understand it being a safe sport only issue if the incident is between an adult coach having a sexual relationship with an adult athlete that was consensual (so while legal, still not appropriate), but if anyone under age is involved shouldn't the police also be involved??

Agree 100% ... Police / Child Protective Services should be involved if it involves a minor.

 

[Madden3]

"Please note, all reports of child abuse (including sexual abuse) of a minor must ALSO be reported to local authorities."
That is from the safesport website.

 

[profmom]

And honestly, based on what I've learned about SafeSport, the criminal justice system is FAR better equipped to handle this stuff.