BALTIMORE, Maryland, August 2. SHORTLY after news broke that CUBU Swim Club co-founder Rick Curl had resigned from the club, ending a short leave of absence, the Washington Post reported that Curl has waived the initial emergency Board of Review hearing by USA Swimming.
Waiving this hearing means that Curl has accepted the initial provisional suspension of his membership in USA Swimming. Last month, reports surfaced that Curl was under investigation by USA Swimming for allegations that he had signed a non-disclosure agreement with a swimmer and her parents, and allegedly paid them off to remain silent on allegations of sexual relations with the swimmer that began when she was 13 and he was 33 in the 80s.
Curl, by accepting the provisional suspension, “did not admit guilt and retained the right to contest USA Swimming's request for a lifetime ban from the sport.” The full National Board of Review hearing is scheduled to take place on Sept. 19.
Just for a refresher on the USA Swimming banning process. When the organization finds or is provided what it deems actionable evidence of a code of conduct violation, it calls for an emergency Board of Review hearing. Should the initial hearing deem that this evidence does support a potential membership ban, a provisional suspension is put in place. Members who get to this phase of the ban process are then added to an internal “flagged” list. This list prevents the member from moving to a new club, if that new club follows background check procedures that include checking with USA Swimming.
Then, USA Swimming calls a full hearing of the National Board of Review. If the member is found guilty of a code of conduct violation, the member then has 30 days to appeal the decision. Once the appeal window concludes, the member is then added to the Banned for Life list publicly.