Skater faced sex misconduct reports
Coughlin, who committed suicide Friday, had been suspended after allegations
John Coughlin, the two-time U.S. pairs figure skating champion who took his life Friday, was facing three reports of sexual misconduct against him, two of them involving minors, according to a person with knowledge of the situation who was not authorized to talk publicly about the matter.
The reports were filed with the U.S. Center for SafeSport. The first report, which did not come from a minor, led to SafeSport’s decision Dec. 17 to restrict Coughlin’s eligibility to participate in his sport pending final resolution of the matter. News of that disciplinary action was reported by USA TODAY on Jan. 7.
The other two reports, both of which involved minors at the time of the alleged sexual misconduct, came to SafeSport within the past few weeks and resulted in its decision to elevate Coughlin’s disciplinary record to an interim suspension Thursday night.
U.S. Figure Skating is required to enforce SafeSport disciplinary decisions so it immediately suspended the 33year-old Coughlin as well, which meant he was prohibited from participating “in any capacity, in any activity or competition” authorized or organized by USFS or the U.S. Olympic Committee.
That included the upcoming national figure skating championships in Detroit this week, U.S. skating’s biggest week of the year. Coughlin normally would have been a visible presence at the nationals as a coach, TV commentator and a rising star within the hierarchy of USFS.
Kansas City police said Coughlin died by suicide in his father’s home Friday afternoon.
In a Jan. 7 email to USA TODAY, Coughlin called the allegations against him “unfounded.”
“While I wish I could speak freely about the unfounded allegations levied against me, the SafeSport rules prevent me from doing so since the case remains pending,” he wrote. “I note only that the SafeSport notice of allegation itself stated that an allegation in no way constitutes a finding by SafeSport or that there is any merit to the allegation.”
SafeSport opened in 2017 with the aim to end all forms of abuse in sport. It has exclusive jurisdiction over allegations of sexual misconduct but also looks into other forms of abuse.
Coughlin won the U.S. pairs title in 2011 with Caitlin Yankowskas and in 2012 with Caydee Denney. He participated in two world championships, finishing sixth in 2011 and eighth in 2012.