(CNN) — Longtime trainer Richard Callaghan was permanently banned by US Figure Skating after 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 jurisdiction over allegations of sexual misconduct — said Callaghan was ineligible to participate in any competition or activity having to do with the US Olympic Committee or the sport’s national governing body.
The sanction, effective Wednesday was embraced by US Figure Skating, it said on its website.
Earlier this month, Callaghan was accused of sexually abusing US figure skater Adam Schmidt over the course of two decades, beginning when Schmidt was approximately 14 years old. The abuse happened while Callaghan was training Schmidt, the suit alleged, and afterwards at a contest in San Diego.
US Figure Skating formerly failed to comment on the litigation, but said it”supports most of victims of sexual abuse and misconduct and encourages anyone who has been abused or suspects abuse or misconduct to immediately report it to law enforcement, ” the U.S. Center for SafeSport or U.S. Figure Skating.”
The ice skating center said the claims in the lawsuit were”very severe” and”deserve a comprehensive investigation.” The facility said it was notified of those claims by information outlets and asks for comment in the journalists and had to receive the lawsuit.
The US Center for SafeSport suspended Callaghan at March 2018, after allegations that he made sexual advances as soon as 1976 toward the other young figure skater, who stated he had been 13 at the time.
In an email, Callaghan’s attorney, Dean Groulx, told CNN the ban declared a”sad day for US Olympic sports. A real giant US figure skating is subject to a lifetime ban without due process.”
Groulx blasted SafeSport, saying that the team”altered its guidelines in the middle of its evaluation of Richard Callaghan to carry out what could only be characterized, in my opinion, as a witch hunt.”
Schmidt, now 34, is a former member of the US National Figure Skating Team, his lawyers said.
“This announcement is a significant victory for all who’ve suffered abuses from the prior legend of figure skating, Mr. Callaghan,” Schmidt said in a statement Thursday. He went on to accuse US Figure Skating of making a”culture of abuse which lasted decades and today will be the first of many successes to come in reversing that.”
And Schmidt’s lawyer, John Manly, hailed the decision, telling CNN,”That should’ve been done from the 90’s. It’s good news but small comfort to people he hurt.”
Figure skater Tara Lipinski was trained by callaghan into a gold medal. In addition, he coached 1996 world champion Todd Eldredge.

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