Paralympic Champion Swimmer Robert Griswold Accused of Sexual Abuse in Colorado Lawsuit

Photo Courtesy: Twitter, @USParaswimming

Paralympic Champion Swimmer Robert Griswold Accused of Sexual Abuse in Colorado Lawsuit

A lawsuit has been filed against U.S. Paralympic swimmer Robert Griswold, accusing him of sexually abusing a younger Paralympic teammate. The suit was filed on Friday in Colorado and alleges Griswold “maliciously targeted” an intellectually disabled teammate, according to a CNN story and other reports.

“This case is a horrific tragedy, where a young man who defied all odds to become a world-class Paralympic swimmer had his life utterly shattered by rape and abuse when he was paired with a team member who was a violent sexual predator,” the lawsuit states.

According to the Denver Gazette, the lawsuit also alleged that the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee and the United States Center for SafeSport covered up the abuse. Griswold, a Paralympic champion, was suspended temporarily by the U.S. Center for SafeSport in August because of “allegations of misconduct” and placed on the SafeSport database.

According to the suit, Griswold allegedly abused now-19-year-old Parker Egbert, who has suffered from developmental delay and intellectual disability his entire life making him “significantly more vulnerable to abuse,” during the Tokyo Paralympic Games and at the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center (OPTC) located in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

The CNN report describes how Griswold “made a concerted effort to ‘befriend’ [Egbert]” at the June 2021 Paralympic Trials, and at the Games, Griwsold “ensured that Egbert was always ‘seated next to him on plane and bus rides and was given prolonged unsupervised access.'” The suit alleges that “the USOPC observed Griswold engaging in this conduct and allowed it to continue.” In December 2021, after Egbert won three events at the U.S. Paralympic Championships, he was invited to live and train at the OPTC, and he and Griswold became roommates. The abuse intensified during that time, and when Egbert’s parents expressed their concerns, “USOPC declined to respond to the issue,” according to the lawsuit (via CNN).

“Robert Griswold is the devil to me,” Egbert wrote in a letter to the USOPC, according to the Denver Gazette. The Gazette also reported Egbert told his parents that he is afraid that Griswold would kill him, the lawsuit added. Eventually, Egbert “had to make the difficult decision to leave behind his lifelong dream” of Paralympic swimming.

The lawsuit also alleges Griswold had a pattern of grooming potential vulnerable athletes as victims.

“Griswold used his status in the Olympic and Paralympic Swimming community to carry out a systematic pattern of abuse, whereby he would seek out and groom vulnerable athletes, specifically minor and disabled Paralympic athletes living and training at the United States Olympic & Paralympic Training Center located in Colorado,” the lawsuit states.

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Former Para Mom

1 year ago

Why has it taken so long for Swimming World to publish anything about concerns regarding Griswold’s abuse of teammates? Safe Sport has suspended him twice. Swimming World should disclose that his sister is/was employed by your enterprise, as is disclosed in the case filed.

Everyone deserves justice, including Robert and his alleged victims. Note, this case does not represent the only alleged victim.

It is beyond tragic to imagine that United States Paralympic Swimming has failed to protect their most vulnerable. Their reported priorities and oversight is sickening.

Medals, rankings and records are moments in time that are transient and quickly forgotten and or bettered. Emotional and physical harm to athletes will be something that they and their families must endure for a lifetime.

The United States Olympic/Paralympic Committee should be able to say that they supported and protected athletes and made their lives better for having participated. That is not the case for many athletes.

It seems the Becca Myers refusal to participate in the Tokyo Games because she didn’t feel like she had enough support and protection was clearly justified.

The United States Olympic/Paralympic Committee must focus their attention and resources on protecting the athletes. Trained and vetted professionals should be charged with protecting and managing athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities. If the USOPC cannot do this then don’t separate these athletes from their families.

Anonymous

1 year ago

This is sickening… hope this guy goes in lock up and will never see the light of day ever again. Sending prayers to the family

Para-athlete

1 year ago

Why are you not posting comments? Seems self-serving. I know comments have been submitted.

ParaParent

1 year ago

Shame on Swimming World for blocking all comments. You gave Robert and his sister a platform to publish articles and now you belatedly post this article but block the comments. There have been comments.