This is the letter someone sent to USOC and USS. I am posting this because the writer is looking at very rightly and reasonably.
I know the name of writer but interesting thing is I never heard of name before. The writer is not a former or current staff or member of USS, nor a parent of skater. Looks like just a fan. But I do not know.
I will put more next week. The time is coming.
Mr. Scott M. Blackmun
Chief Executive Officer
United States Olympic Committee
One Olympic Plaza
Colorado Springs, CO 80909
Re: United States ST Speedskating
Dear Mr. Blackmun:
I have been a fan of ST Speedskating since the 1998 Olympics. Since 2007 I have found the opportunity on many occasions to attend many of the ST National competitions and World Cups, and also attended the Olympic Trials in Marquette in 2009 and the Olympics in 2010 in Vancouver. Having been around many of the ST skaters and their parents during this period of time it became apparent early on in my involvement that there were many problems with the Board of Directors and management of ST Speedskating. I personally did not feel the move to SLC was good for many of these young skaters who were and are immature and do not need to be in an unsupervised environment.
With all that said, I cannot tell you how disheartened and sad I am over the recent events in the ST Speedskating world. Abuse should not be tolerated in any form or fashion. Although certain of the abuse allegations that have been alleged against the coaching staff of the ST skaters are not egregious in my opinion, I do acknowledge that certain of these skaters do feel certain actions were abusive. The Korean method of training is notorious in its severe discipline and grueling training – but it is hard to argue with its results. The Korean short track program is consistently one of the best in the world and for the last several years Korean coaches have been responsible for transforming the US Team into an international powerhouse. With that said, management and the Board should have kept a better eye on the coaching staff and should have reigned in the training program. But, unfortunately, US Speedskating (“USS”) seems to always sweep things under the carpet in hopes that things will get back to normal. My plea is that the USOC will earnestly oversee the actions of USS in resolving these issues.
But this is not the focus of my letter. The focus of my letter is the tampering charge involving Simon Cho (“Cho”) and Coach Jae Su Chun (“Chun”). When the code of conduct violations were filed against Chun on September 13, 2012, Chun was placed on administrative leave by USS on September 16, 2012. I believe under the direction of the
USOC’s SAFE program, USS hired the law firm of White & Case to conduct an independent investigation of all charges. White & Case issued its report Friday, October 5,
2012, and as a result of that report Coach Jun YA-OW (“Yeo”) was also placed on administrative leave finding that Yeo was aware of the tampering immediately after it happened but did not report it to proper authorities along with Chun. Regarding Cho, the
USS issued a statement on October 5, 2012, stating, “we will be convening a disciplinary panel; they will meet immediately to determine the appropriate course of action.”
The incident by Cho of tampering with Canadian ST skater Olivier Jean’s skate occurred in March, 2011. The allegations were made on September 28, 2012, with the filing of the demand for arbitration of which Cho was not a part. We are looking at 18 months between the time the tampering took place and certain of Cho’s fellow skaters making it known they were aware of the tampering allegations through the arbitration request. Cho was basically backed into a corner and had no alternative but to admit to his part in the tampering incident. His actions at the time of the tampering incident were not honorable, but his CONDUCT now in taking responsibility for his actions will go a long way in restoring his honor.
From information and belief, it is my understanding that Canada's coach accused Chun of tampering after World Competition in Warsaw in March, 2011. Why didn’t USS investigate this accusation at the time? There is no way USS could not have known this incident occurred. There are too many bystanders who have been privy to this information without reporting it.
In Cho’s press conference on October 5, 2012, Cho stated that fellow skater, Jeff Simon, witnessed the first alleged demand by Chun in English to tamper with a Canadian rival's skates. In the Demand for Arbitration it is alleged that “on the plane trip back to the States from the World Team Championships, Simon Cho admitted to a fellow US short track skater that he had tampered with the blades of the Canadian skater, Oliver Jean Le Patinuer.” We now know from the Executive Summary issued October 5, 2012, by White & Case that the fellow skater was Jeff Simon. Jeff Simon stated to the investigators that at the time Cho mentioned the tampering incident to him, Cho did not mention anything about Chun having directed Cho to damage the Canadian skater’s blade. Jeff Simon kept this information confidential because Cho asked him to do so. Jeff Simon should never have agreed to keep such an egregious act confidential. He has the same player role in this egregious act as Yeo does.
If Yeo has been placed on administrative leave because he was aware of the tampering immediately after it happened, and he failed to report the tampering to the proper authorities, then Jeff Simon needs to be suspended for also knowing about the tampering and not reporting it to the proper authorities. What is good for the goose is good for the gander, as that saying goes. Suspension of Jeff Simon would be the only fair thing to do and would send a clear message to all Olympic athletes: that they have a duty to report such egregious acts immediately. Although the Executive Summary only identifies Jeff Simon as having knowledge, if there are other fellow skaters of Cho who knew of the tampering and kept it confidential from the proper authorities, then they too need to be suspended. Let me restate it once again: They stand in like positions of knowledge regarding the incident.
I guess the biggest question I have is “why now?” Eighteen (18) months have lapsed since the tampering incident. Why did it take until a few weeks before the Fall ST season started to bring these allegations out in the open? If the skaters were and are frustrated with USS because their concerns are never acted upon, why didn’t they bring their concerns out in the open long before now? Things would certainly have come to the forefront a lot sooner and possibly the Fall World Cup season would not be as affected as it is now. Not only do you have a division amongst the skaters, you have a division amongst the fans. How sad for the USS ST program.
The USS needs a total restructuring and USOC and ISU need to have eagle eyes during this restructuring. This is a no-win situation for all the skaters, including those who have voiced their support for Chun. Although these young and talented athletes have trained long and hard for their sport, with the information we now have at hand that Simon Cho, Jeff Simon and “other US Skaters” had knowledge of the tampering, I do not think it is unreasonable for USS, USOC and ISU to not allow the US team to participate in the first four World Cups. This will not only give time to allow the arbitration to run its course to determine the facts and discipline needed for those involved, but it will allow time for the beginning of a restructuring from within USS, a restructuring of the Board of Directors, overseeing and restructuring of the coaches’ training methods, including the proper personnel to train and coach the skaters, and hopefully will be the beginning of an effort to save ST in the US. If drastic changes are not taken, my fear is that we will no longer be a presence on the international circuit. And, I am fearful of what will happen to our skaters during the upcoming World Cup competitions.
My hope is that the USS disciplinary panel will take all evidence into consideration when determining what course of action should be taken with regard to Cho, Jeff Simon and possibly other US skaters. It is my further hope that these young men learn a very valuable lesson as a result of their participation in such an egregious act, and that lesson is abiding by the Olympic Creed: "The most important thing in the Olympic Games is not to win but to take part, just as the most important thing in life is not the triumph, but the struggle. The essential thing is not to have conquered, but to have fought well."
Thank you, Mr. Blackmun, for your time in reading the above. No response is necessary. The actions of USS, USOC and the ISU will be confirmation enough. The fan base ST has worked so hard to bring along for the ride is watching.
cc: United States Olympic Committee
One Olympic Plaza
Colorado Springs, CO 80909
Attn: Gary Johansen, Associate General Counsel
Attn: Mr. John W. Ruger, USOC Athlete Ombudsman
Attn: Ms. Sara Clark, Office of Athlete Ombudsman
Attn: Matthew Van Houten, Chair, USOC AAC
Mr. Mark Greenwald
CEO/Executive Director
US Speedskating
5662 Cougar Lane
Kearns, UT 84118
Tom Frank, President
Board of Directors
US Speedskating
5662 Cougar Lane
Kearns, UT 84118
Mr. Phil Hersch
Chicago Tribune
435 N. Michigan Ave.
Chicago, IL 60611
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