Kelley Currin, the swimmer who has accused the high-profile founder of the Curl Burke swim club, has released a statement through a spokesperson for her attorney Robert Allard.
In the statement, Currin alleges that USA Swimming was provided “months” ago with the same documentation released today by the Washington Post.
Meanwhile, Rick Curl has taken a leave from his post in the administrative offices of Curl Burke.
The Statement released by Currin’s attorney is below:
Currin states, “It is disappointing that USA Swimming has known about Rick Curl and his admission for several months now and has chosen to act only when the Washington Post reports the admission. I faxed the settlement agreement and admission by Rick Curl to a USA Swimming investigator in April of this year. I also followed up and communicated via phone with USA Swimming’s Susan Woesnner, the so-called “Athlete Protection Officer”. I know now that Woesnner was giving me lip service by saying they were sympathetic but then going ahead and giving Rick Curl coaching credentials to the US Olympic Trials in Omaha, Nebraska. For USA Swimming to tell the media that they just learned of my complaint late last Friday afternoon” (July 20), is an outright lie. There was nothing sent to USA Swimming on July 20 that it did not already have in its possession. The only thing that changed is that the Washington Post got involved. Only then did they give the appearance that they were concerned about my complaint. The fact is that USA Swimming has known about Rick Curl for years.”
Attorney Robert Allard is asking USA Swimming to protect the victim from further abuse by having her recall in detail a painful chapter in her life. Allard states, “USA Swimming and its leaders should resign in disgrace for allowing Curl and other swim coaches to molest young swimmers.” To date, more than 60 USA Swimming coaches have been banned for life for sexually molesting young swimmers.
Currin also states, “Despite Rick Curl’s signed admission, USA Swimming wants me to relive the molestation by going into detail on every sex act committed by Curl. This is insulting to me and to every molestation victim.”
Read USA Swimming’s statement on the emergency hearing, released this morning, here. In their previous statement, USA Swimming said that they would not be able to comment further while the matter is under investigation.
Rick Curl and Noah Rucker are not guilty, everyone is innocent until proven guilty with physical evidence in a court of law. Stop convicting these two and anyone based on written and verbal complaints by an accuser. No person should be accused publicly anyway nor convicted by the accuser or their attys or the media. Realize that this person admitted to lying to her parents, to the courts, to the media, and is probably seeking money, fame, and malicious ruin of their coach. She never mentions her own fault in not saying if this happened and not voluntarily leaving the team and geographic area. She had many other pools closer to home to swim for so I think she and… Read more »
To this concerned person – this is the second time you’ve left effectively the same comment, and I will give you the same response. Your previous comments were not approved because they were vulgar and because you were pretending to be a member of the SwimSwam staff. As you’ve chosen not to use an email address with your comments, we’ve had no way to discuss with you. You are more than welcome to support Curl or Rucker in our comments, but your comments have used incredibly inappropriate language. This is the third one of your comments that has been approved, so to say we are hiding your comments would be false.
If you would like to discuss further, my email… Read more »
Taking another angle…I’m tired of the press accusing parents of being “overprotective”, “helicopter parents”. This is exactly why there is nothing wrong with being protective — to account for your kids’ time at all times. I wish it weren’t that way but it is, because stories like this are all too common. My HS swim coach, in fact, was known to have “hooked up” with one girl on the team and another HS girl (in the 80’s). I told my mom recently, and she was shocked. But my mom was never around….she was working all the time and I got rides home from practice late, and witnessed certain things in the pool office (by mistake).
USA Swimming parents, it IS… Read more »
So if this is true, and I have no reason to disbelieve her, where are Montgomery County’s finest? The investigation is being conducted by USA Swimming? Isn’t this a felony crime? When do the police become involved?
An investigation has been initiated by Montgomery Co police:
http://plattsenergyweektv.com/news/article/214495/77/Montgomery-Police-Launch-Sex-Abuse-Investigation-of-Swim-Coach
WOW – Penn State is getting crucified for the very same things that are here. the post by Billy sickens me the most. So it might hurt the view of our sport (might hurt Penn State) so let’s not deal with the issue now. We have a reputation to uphold. Shameful! If this man stands accused (not convicted), then there must be an investigation. USA Swimming should be the first to step in (second after the parents) and so must the club. When will people learn?
Your logic is flawed. There are markedly different problems between Penn State and Curl-Burke Swim Club. Let me address them one by one:
1) It does not affect the view of the sport. Just like the incident at Penn State does not affect Football in any means.
2)”USA Swimming should be the first to step in (second after the parents) and so must the club. When will people learn?”
This matter was settled in the courts first. Currin did not go to USA Swimming, nor did her parents. They went to the courts, where they decided (wrongly) to settle with an NDA for money.
At that point there was no precedent for such actions, and people were much… Read more »
BRIAN,
Your first comment is, “1) It does not affect the view of the sport.” I would argue that it does. Sandusky was not raping college football players (I doubt that would have gone over well). Curl and the other coaches were raping SWIMMERS. It affects the view of the sport as in “Swimming is a f*cked sport with coaches that prey on young swimmers.” You would be naive to say that some people do not have that thought.
One would also be naive to care what every single person thinks about them or their sport.
There are track and field coaches that have been arrested for relationships with their athletes too. It happens at all sports, at all levels. One would be foolish to think that swimming is any different. It’s unfortunate.
Someone who thinks that, well, I already know that I’m above their intelligence level, and that they aren’t worth listening to, if that’s how they generalize things in life.
1. They did not go to court. They negotiated between attorneys.
2. Notify USA Swim? Did you read her statement as to their current response or should I say lack there of? I can’t even imagine what it would have been 20 years ago.
This is just ducky. The Olympics start in two days with swimming being the first glamour sport with finals starting on Saturday and the viewing public gets to read about this awful story.
How the heck is the sport of swimming going to grow if we have to read this stuff? I’m not saying this story should be put under the rug either. No parent will want their kids to swim on a team.
I’m fed up with this stuff.
DUCKY,
Are you fed up with what’s happening or reading about it? You say, “How the heck is the sport of swimming going to grow if we have to read this stuff?” How are we to grow as human beings if we don’t? We need to hear it, and act on it, or it will never change.
I’m fed up with both!
The Olympics are approaching and all we hear about is Jerry Sandusky who is a monster, Penn State coverup which is almost worse and this Rick Curl mess.
It’s depressing as h*ll!
I hope and pray nothing bad happens at the Olympics ala Munich 1972, but I would not be shocked.
I want some good news asap!
I am the parent of a 10 year old swimmer who has swam for Curl Burke for 3 years. This is the second coach from that swim club to be accused of such allegations in less than a month. If these allegations turn out to be true, and USA swimming knew about them before being contacted by the press, there should be significant and severe punishment (Penn State as an example). The problem is, I’m sure this is not the only club where such indecencies have occurred.
Swimmom – former curl member here. Who was the other coach?
Noah Rucker. Linked at the bottom.
This is very sad to hear. I swam for Rick back in the mid ’90s. Its never a good thing when someone is abused!!
Im not on anyone’s side, but you can accuses some one of molestation and then think you should not have to talk about. Also if Rick curl is guilty then so are your parents for not pressing charges when they found out. If it was my child no amount of money or advise would stop me from pursuing it legally.
But what gets me why now, all these years later, Rick curl does no even coach any more he is now just the name behind the team but has no interaction with swimmers. I’m not siding with anyone and what ever did happen was wrong on his part but it was a long time ago and now you are… Read more »
Agree with Iswam. Parents of swimmer should not have taken payoff IF there was incident. How is it even relevant now that Curl doesn’t even coach anymore? This sounds like revenge by a swimmer who didn’t make it to the Olympics and who is miserable for the success of another young lady who did. I wait for my daughter at all of her activities and peek in at odd times, it’s the world we live. Parents, you can’t trust anybody, watch your kids, and be interested in them, don’t just drop them off and go.
A CUBU MOM,
I applaud that you, “wait for my daughter at all of her activities and peek in at odd times, it’s the world we live.” Was this the world in 1984? Do you also peek into hotel rooms, coaches bathrooms, etc. that you would have no idea your daughter would be in? Also, you sound pretty callous passing this off as, “revenge by a swimmer who didn’t make it to the Olympics and who is miserable for the success of another young lady who did.” Wow!
Wow CUBU Mom – I hope nothing as horrific ever happens to one of your kids, since your reaction would be “sounds like revenge by a swimmer who didn’t make it to the Olympics and who is miserable for the success of another young lady who did.” Easy to see why victims have difficulty coming forward with that kind of attitude with which to contend.
CUBU Mom. Are you serious? “Miserable by the success of one who did”. She was raped by Rick Curl starting at the age of 13. She has Olympic dreams and had her parents not stepped up and ended the affair immediately after discovery, she may have made it to the Olympics. She is a victim of this pervert and CUBU. Maybe your daughter wouldn’t be “miserable” if she was raped by her coach and her dreams dashed. This is Rick Curl’s fault and the sickos right up there with him that have known about it for years.
This did happen as evidenced by the settlement agreement. Pervert pedophiles don’t sign agreements and pay money for crimes they didn’t commit.
Well If this was filed In open court, he could loose. Even If he were inocent. And he would always loose in public opinion. Micheal Jackson did not loose his case, but is still seen as a rapist in most of the world. So seeing it in those terms I understand why non-disclosure was chosen, even if he were not guilty.
We have journal from a teenage girl and her word against his. That is not good enough in a court of law.. Is it?
The damage is now done, guilty or not he has lost his legacy.
If she is pressing charges I hope she good evidence, and wins! if she releases a book in the next few… Read more »
ISWAM,
You say this, “If it was my child no amount of money or advise would stop me from pursuing it legally.” What would you do if your child was beyond distraught and begging you not to make this public. She’s crying and ashamed (and had been treated for an eating disorder), though it’s not her fault. Would you then pursue this legally? Or would you make him pay somehow, legally, without you going to jail, too?
Actually my child was molested by a swim coach. We went to the police who did a poor job of investigating. We went to the school and they lawyered up and let the offender resign. Also, the head swim coach kicked my child off the team. Rumors were flying … About my child. We finally had to stop trying to pursue justice and focus on treating my child which was expensive and time consuming.
Since the offending coach had been allowed to resign he was able to become a foster parent and eventually arrested for molesting a child in his care. The head coach was promoted to athletic director.
Sorry to hear that, Oldtimer. That is sad, that people spread rumors about your child instead of showing empathy. And that goes to show what happens when the predators are not put in jail or banned from working with children…it continues.