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Callaghan accused Top figure skating coach accused of sexual misconduct
Posted: Sunday April 11, 1999 06:15 PM
NEW YORK (AP) -- Richard Callaghan, who coached Tara Lipinski to an Olympic gold medal, has been accused by one of his former figure skaters of sexual misconduct. Callaghan, one of the sport's premier coaches, said he was "shocked and deeply dismayed" by the "unsubstantiated allegations." He said through his lawyer that his accuser is emotionally troubled. Craig Maurizi, who skated for Callaghan and later became a colleague, said in a story in The New York Times on Sunday that they began having sex in 1981 and he now thinks he was exploited. Callaghan denied having a sexual relationship with Maurizi, the newspaper said. Callaghan contends the accusations are a ploy to rob him of his skaters at the Detroit Skating Club, where he had been director of competitive skating. Callaghan's lawyer, Dean Groulx, said Sunday his client "always considered Craig to be an invaluable member of his extended family." Groulx added that Callaghan and his wife hope Maurizi "will be able to resolve his emotional problems." He said Callaghan does not wish to comment further because "he has too much respect for the figure skating community." Jim Disbrow, president of the U.S. Figure Skating Association, said Maurizi informed him last month of the accusations. Disbrow said his organization cannot act until it receives a formal complaint. Maurizi planned to submit the complaint in a few weeks, the newspaper said. Disbrow was in Sweden for a weekend competition and attempts to reach him there were unsuccessful. Messages were left at his home and office outside Minneapolis, and another call to figure skating's headquarters in Colorado Springs, Colo., was not answered. Maurizi, now 36, said the relationship started after Callaghan moved to Philadelphia to coach. Maurizi, who began working with him when he was 13, finished fifth nationally in pairs in 1989. "At the time, I thought the sex was consensual," Maurizi told the Times. "Now when I look back, I don't think it was consensual. I don't care how old a student is, whether it's a boy or a girl, a coach should never have sex with a student." Maurizi never reported any misconduct by Callaghan before. He told the newspaper he is able to discuss the matter now because of the support of his wife and therapist. The Times said it spoke with Callaghan for four hours at his office in Bloomfield Hills, Mich., and interviewed four dozen skaters, coaches, officials, agents and parents. "I don't understand this," Callaghan said. "The allegations are awful. I can't believe I worked my butt off for kids to be successful in skating to be better people and this stuff happens." Callaghan, with Maurizi assisting, coached Lipinski to a 1998 Olympic gold medal. He also coached Todd Eldredge to five national titles and a world championship. He and Maurizi split as coaching colleagues last year. Since 1990, there have been only four years in which Callaghan didn't have one of the top three skaters in either the men's or women's singles in the U.S. national championships. When Nicole Bobek and Eldredge won national titles in 1995, he became the first coach in 45 years to train the men's and ladies' champions in the same year. Callaghan, 53, is married with a grown daughter. He resigned as director at the Detroit Skating Club in March, telling the Times he was tired of the travel and coaching grind. Johnny Johns, chief executive of the skating club, did not immediately return a call.
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