Senator: U.S. Ski & Snowboard interfering in SafeSport investigation of Peter Foley
The U.S. Ski & Snowboard Association is interfering with an investigation into sexual misconduct complaints against longtime coach Peter Foley, according to a letter from Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-Iowa).
The U.S. Center for SafeSport has been investigating Foley, 56, since last month after an Olympian said Foley had “taken naked photos of female athletes for over a decade.” It issued a temporary suspension for allegations of misconduct last week, and U.S. Ski & Snowboard confirmed Monday that he is no longer employed with the federation, though it declined to say whether Foley resigned or was fired.
Grassley, who is the ranking member on the Senate Judiciary Committee that investigated sexual abuse in the Olympic movement, asserted in his letter the U.S. Ski & Snowboard Association is interfering in the SafeSport investigation and that he reported SafeSport’s concerns to the FBI.
In a statement, U.S. Ski & Snowboard President and CEO Sophie Goldschmidt disagreed with Grassley's assertions that the national governing body had not met its obligations, including reporting to SafeSport.
The statement went on to say that it reported Foley to SafeSport immediately after learning of social media posts about him on Feb. 6, and it has since shared two additional reports.
"Any suggestion that U.S. Ski & Snowboard withheld information is inaccurate," Goldschmidt said.
FIGURE SKATING: World championships a fresh start without Russians competing
ESPN reported on Tuesday that four women have made sexual misconduct complaints against Foley to SafeSport, including of sexual assault and coercing women into taking nude photos.
Callan Chythlook-Sifsof, a 2010 Olympian, posted about Foley’s conduct in Instagram posts last month during the Beijing Olympics, saying that he had taken naked photos of athletes, among other allegations about the culture of the program.
Following the final snowboardcross competition in Beijing, Foley denied the allegations to Paste BN Sports. Howard Jacobs, Foley’s attorney, told Paste BN Sports on Monday that “any allegations of sexual misconduct being made against him are false."
Under federal law passed in 2020, the Center is required to report to Congress within 72 hours any attempt to interfere with or influence an investigation.
According to Grassley’s letter, SafeSport reported that U.S. Ski & Snowboard leadership has been conducting its own investigation, has not made necessary notifications of sexual misconduct to SafeSport and has failed to provide evidence it possesses in a timely manner.
In an interview on Feb. 19, Goldschmidt said the organization was conducting its own investigation meant to run in parallel to the outside investigation.
"We’re taking it very seriously and the investigation is underway and I hope will be completed fairly quickly," she said then.
Since it opened in 2017, SafeSport has had exclusive jurisdiction over reports of sexual misconduct in the U.S. Olympic movement, a change that came after several national governing bodies mishandled such investigations.
In her statement Wednesday, Goldschmidt said the federation "began its own diligence into whether Coach Foley’s conduct aligned with the values of U.S. Ski & Snowboard," characterizing the inquiry as a workplace investigation allowed by SafeSport. Goldschmidt said the investigation led the organization to place Foley on leave on Feb. 21 and terminated him on Sunday.
Goldschmidt's statement said U.S. Ski & Snowboard is cooperating with Grassley's office.
Grassley’s letter asserts that U.S. Ski & Snowboard has misinformed those participating in the investigation “in an effort to discourage participation" and to attempt "to identify who may be participating.”
“The reports shared by the Center are very troubling,” Grassley wrote.
“Inaction may lead to many more victims being harmed, which would be intolerable.”