Lawsuit Against Former Olympic Swim Coach Mark Schubert Seeks to Protect Kids From Sexual Predators

Attorney Robert Allard filed a wrongful termination lawsuit against Mark Schubert, former USA Swimming Olympic team coach, on behalf of longtime USA Swimming coach and benefactor Dia Rianda. The lawsuit claims Mark Schubert fired Rianda for trying to keep coach Bill Jewell from having access to children. Jewell is under investigation by USA Swimming for alleged sex abuse charges.

Mark Schubert originally hired Rianda to run his Golden West Swim Club in Orange County. The lawsuit claims that Mark Schubert also hired his longtime friend Bill Jewell to serve as a coach, despite Rianda's objections. In spite of numerous complaints by parents and athletes, USA Swimming and Mark Schubert refused to take action against Jewell. Instead, Schubert fired Rianda for trying to protect swimmers from Jewell's inappropriate sexual actions.

The lawsuit further claims that Schubert confided to Rianda that, while Mark Schubert was head coach at the University of Texas, he learned that coach Rick Curl molested Kelley Davies. Schubert allegedly admitted to kicking Davies off the team after her performance suffered due to her molestation. Schubert claimed to have told USA Swimming CEO Chuck Wielgus about Curl numerous times, but USA Swimming took no action.

Bill Jewell was under investigation by USA Swimming for more than a year. Rianda continued to complain to Chuck Wielgus and Susan Woesner about Jewell. There were also numerous complaints from swimmers and parents as well. Despite all this, Jewell continued to coach for Mark Schubert at his Golden West Swim Club. Finally, in June of 2013, USA Swimming suspends Jewell for three years for Code of Conduct violations.

USA Today and the Los Angeles Times both have more on the story.