Last fall, a USA TODAY investigation uncovered widespread failures in cheerleader child protection policies and detailed allegations against one of sports’ most prominent celebrities, Jerry Harris. Cheerleading governing bodies responded by working to strengthen athlete protection and banning more than 140 coaches and athletes who had been accused of misconduct.
Almost a year later, not much has changed. USA TODAY has found that people accused – or even accused – of sexual misconduct still work and participate in the sport. Some continued to work with young athletes even while they were suspended by the governing body of competitive cheerleaders, the US All Star Federation (USASF).
A new investigation from USA TODAY has revealed how weaknesses in sports’ child protection policies manifest themselves in a powerful cheerleader company, Cheer Extreme, where a trainer continued to work with children despite criminal charges alarming. Read this survey here.
But other gyms and cheering organizations have failed to promulgate and enforce athlete protection policies, highlighting broader issues in the sport. For example:
- North Carolina gym owner Nicholas Sweeney was suspended by the USASF in January as he was investigated by law enforcement regarding his conduct with athletes, including allegations that he took pictures of athletes and told one of them that she could take off her underwear when she put on a uniform. , according to information provided to the police. In an email to parents, the USASF said Sweeney, 47, would not be allowed to coach athletes in the program. But parents have emailed the USASF and its investigator more than a dozen times to express concerns over Sweeney’s continued presence in the gym, sharing photos and videos as evidence. Sweeney has denied doing any wrongdoing and law enforcement has closed their investigation without charge, saying no one has disclosed a crime. But Sweeney remained under suspension from the USASF and, earlier this week, was permanently banned from the sport. Before being banned, he told USA TODAY he was on the terms of his suspension while continuing to be in the gym. “I quit training all of my teams. I quit coaching classes. I didn’t do anything in the gym with USASF athletes,” Sweeney said, adding that he was coaching courses. high school cheering teams in the gym. He did not respond to a request for further comment on his USASF ban. On Friday afternoon, her co-owner Darlene McNabb said Sweeney was in the process of selling her shares in the company to her, in light of her permanent ban. She said he was no longer allowed to enter the gym under any circumstances.
- Jose Alvarez faces two criminal cases in Texas in which he is accused of sexually assaulting a teenage cheerleader and requesting explicit photos of another, according to court records, police records and interviews. The 28-year-old was banned by cheerleader governing bodies in September. But Alvarez took part in the National Cheerleaders Association collegiate competition in April. His team at Sam Houston State University was subsequently disqualified. A spokeswoman for Varsity, which manages the competition, told USA TODAY that the school was disqualified when Varsity received reports that an ineligible athlete participated but did not respond when asked how. Alvarez was able to register and compete when he was banned. Alvarez declined to comment through his attorney, Shane Phelps.
- Empire Cheer and Dance was banned in October after owner Mishelle Robinson, a former sex offender who had been convicted of sexually assaulting a teenager, registered the Ohio gym under her sister’s name. But Empire entered a cheering contest in December and signed up for another in January after successfully reapplying USASF membership using a slight variation of the gym’s name. He has since been suspended again. Robinson could not be reached for comment.
USASF officials declined to be interviewed. In a statement, the organization said it has put in place stricter reporting and education policies for members and taken “significant steps” to respond to reports of misconduct.
The USASF said, “We are always looking for ways to improve the protection of athletes.”
Marisa Kwiatkowski and Tricia L. Nadolny are reporters for the USA TODAY National Investigation Team. Marisa can be reached at [email protected], @byMarisaK or by phone, Signal or WhatsApp at (317) 207-2855. Tricia can be reached at [email protected] or @TriciaNadolny.
Posted
Updated
