Former Jackson Township, Ohio high school swim coach Eric Spaulding has been banned for life by USA Swimming after a July arrest, the organization announced today.
Spaulding has been charged with sexual battery and pleaded not guilty in a Stark County, Ohio Court after an accusation that he had sex with an 18-year old student.
Despite the alleged victim’s age, the state of Ohio would make the relationship a crime if proven true under a special clause that prohibits a sexual relationship if the “offender is a teacher, administrator, coach, or other person in authority employed by or serving in a school” and the sexual partner attends the same school.
Spaulding, who is 31, has been a coach with the Perry Aquatic Club since 2006 and the head coach since 2008. In 2012, he was also named the head coach of the Perry High School boys’ and girls’ swim teams, and was named the Federal League Girls’ Swimming and Diving Coach of the Year last season.
Spaulding’s final pretrial hearing is set for October 13th, 2015 at 8:30 A.M. The charge under section 2907.03 (A) (7) of the Ohio state code.
Specifically to the USA Swimming banishment, he was barred by the USA Swimming National Board of Review under two sections of the Code of Conduct:
304.3.6 Conviction of, imposition of a deferred sentence for, or any plea of guilty or no contest at any time, past or present, or the existence of any pending charges, for (i) any felony, (ii) any offense involving use, possession, distribution or intent to distribute illegal drugs or substances, (iii) any crime involving sexual misconduct, or (iv) any criminal offense against a minor.
304.3.19 Any other material and intentional act, conduct or omission not provided for above, which is detrimental to the image or reputation of USA Swimming, a LSC or the sport of swimming.
He is currently out of prison on $200,000 bond.
This seems so backwards; a suspension until everything is finalized makes sense. Anyone can make an accusation against anyone and it would result in a lifetime ban. That would mean that someone could accuse any member of USA Swimming Board of Directors and, no questions asked, banned for life. Slander with a side of defamation. I will be interested to see what happens in the event all charges are dropped.
There is no minor.
You guys are definitely wrong on this. In this type of case we should side with the minor first always because we are playing it safe by doing it that way. The accused can file an appeal with USA swmming? I dont think its an automatic ban so its not like someone who is wrongly accused can’t fight this it will only cost some more attorney fees and attorney have to eat also.
Agree. If he is indeed found not guilty I hope he sues usa swimming. There is something wrong with a policy where you can be banned for just an allegation.
Banned for life for being arrested but not convicted? That’s the ultimate hypocrisy. If he’s convicted, the ban would be justified, but this sounds to me like USA Swimming trying to cover it’s EDIT.
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