PHOENIX, Arizona, May 28. WITHIN hours after USA Swimming released its first public list of Individuals Suspended From USA Swimming for Life, Everett Uchiyama, the former USA Swimming National Team Director, resigned from his cross-town position as Aquatic Director for the Country Club of Colorado. The Country Club of Colorado has claimed that USA Swimming provided Uchiyama with a positive reference prior to him being hired as the aquatic director.
Uchiyama's name was placed on the "Banned List" Jan. 31, 2006, days after he resigned his position within USA Swimming. Uchiyama began working with the organization in 1999 as the national team coordinator before assuming the interim national team director position in Dec. 2002. He later became the full-time national team director in April 2004 until being banned in 2006.
The reason for his resignation was only revealed when the list went public this week (four years after the fact) on Tuesday, May 25, 2010. According to an Associated Press report:
Uchiyama was banned for violating a section in the code of conduct that forbids "any sexual conduct, advance or other inappropriate sexually oriented behavior or action directed towards an athlete by a coach." The provision also prohibits "any nonconsensual physical sexual conduct, or pattern of unwelcome advances or other sexual harassment in connection with or incidental to a USA Swimming-related activity."
Knowing the reasoning behind Uchiyama's 2006 resignation raised alarms since he continued working within the aquatic community another four years after his lifetime ban from USA Swimming. While the Country Club of Colorado is not affiliated with USA Swimming and the ban does not apply in this particular case, the Country Club of Colorado has claimed that USA Swimming provided Uchiyama with a positive reference during his hiring process.
"… hiring protocol was followed when (Uchiyama) was initially hired, including a thorough background check prior to his first day of employment," Country Club of Colorado spokesperson Jordan Blakesley told Swimming World. "This included a positive reference with USA Swimming. The Club was previously unaware of the allegations in today's news report. The Country Club of Colorado takes the welfare of its guests very seriously and took immediate action in regards to this matter."
Swimming World immediately checked the veracity of the claim with USA Swimming Executive Director Chuck Wielgus, who was Uchiyama's direct superior during his tenure as USA Swimming's National Team Director.
In answer to the following question:
Why did someone within your administration at USA Swimming give a positive reference for Everett Uchiyama's employment as the Aquatic Director at the Country Club of Colorado knowing that he was on the Individuals Suspended From USA Swimming for Life list?"
Wielgus replied: "We are not aware of anyone who provided a positive reference on behalf of USA Swimming, but we are investigating this matter further."
When Swimming World requested for a second time that the Country Club of Colorado provide proof that USA Swimming provided a positive reference for the employment of Uchiyama, Blakesley replied: "Due to the sensitive nature of personnel files, we are legally unable to provide this information under these circumstances. Thank you for understanding."
USA Swimming has made positive steps in creating new policies and procedures in dealing with the Sexual Abuse crisis that immerses their organization.
Continued efforts will be made by Swimming World to acquire copies of the Country Club of Colorado's evidence supporting their claim that a positive reference was issued by USA Swimming in this matter to either help dismiss or support underlying allegations that USA Swimming engages in practices that cover-up, avoid or side step sexual abuse issues within its organization.
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May 28, 2010 Chuck's wording is very careful, note he doesn't say that it didn't happen. Just that he has no knowledge of it happening. I think the title is misleading. Submitted by: Chris DeSantis
May 28, 2010 I as a parent of elite swimmers dealt with Everett quite a bit. I can remember I thought that he was given a higher position at one point, then GONE. It was really strange because he traveled with the team, he sort of just disapeared and know one said anything. I will ask my kids tonight what they were told. Will write back, what they were told happened to him. Submitted by: swimfan3
May 28, 2010 Seriously, how does Chuck still have his job?!? High profile coaches need to demand his resignation. Period. Submitted by: CAcoach
May 28, 2010 My husband says the same thing as Ca. Coach. He has said having been involved in sports all his life, Chuck Wiegus would be gone. He is at the highest most trusted level of swimming. Now put that in context with the highest level of any sport. GONE! Submitted by: swimfan3
May 28, 2010 This will not end well. We have one of three possible scenarios:
1. CC of CO is misinformed and the evidence (reference) merely states he worked at USA Swimming.
2. CC of CO is lying and a lawsuit will ensue.
3. USA Swimming is lying and Chuck will be out the door. ABC, the AP, ESPN, 20/20, 60 minutes, everyone will be knocking on that door..
Another dissappointing turn of events. Once the mass media gets a hold of this and runs with it, MILLIONS of people will be calling for Chuck's head. I honestly don't think he can recover from this one, regardless if the CC is wrong..
One of the big three sports would take him, moral flexibility seems to be a little more accepted there. Submitted by: HC_HLA
May 28, 2010 What a Friggin Mess. Once the big boys get in on this (ESPN ABC OTL etc.) I'm sure it will go before the senate. Subpoenas will be issued. Then we're doomed.
For a change, the low profile of swimming is helping it out. If this were Little League Baseball, Pop-Warner, or the AAU, (AKA MLB, NFL, and NBA jr.), the government would've already gotten involved.
Any legal minds in here know how USA-Swimming is classified? Is it an independent non-profit, or is it some sort of NGO? Submitted by: GigEmAggies
May 29, 2010 How come the leaders in most organizations are always the morally corrupt instead of people who take on responsibility when something bad or challenging happens (you know, actual leaders)? This latest response was 100 predicted by Chris' article on Art of the Defensive Reaction. Chuck is looking after himself, afraid of losing his job and hopes keeping everything as quiet as possible will make both the child molesters and the critics go away. Submitted by: JakedBadForYou
May 29, 2010 And to think this guy almost became head of USOC... It's obvious these jobs are shared among friends and it's more important who you know than how qualified you are. Submitted by: JakedBadForYou
May 29, 2010 I thought for sure the board had muzzled Chuck after ESPN's Outside the Lines- but I guess I was wrong. Every time he opens his mouth he makes our sport look worse. Submitted by: Chris DeSantis
June 2, 2010 Corrupt?!? Really!?! he sounds to me like someone who is trying to figure out what exactly happened with the reference whilst keeping the media wolves happy with some sort of response. I know this is all hitting very close for us but I think at times folks are reacting emotionally and not rationally. We need to all work for positive outcomes and solutions instead of scalp-hunting.
What if USA Swimming was unaware of Everett's past history and when they found out dealt with it immediately? If that is the case and there was no positive reference; it sounds to me like they handled it pretty well.
It is all very easy for us to say what "should have been done" in hindsight but until we are sitting in that seat i find it hard to pass judgment. Submitted by: coachmark
Reaction Time responses do not necessarily reflect the views or opinions
of Swimming World Magazine or SwimmingWorldMagazine.com.
Reaction Time is provided as a service to our readers.
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