Two New Swim Coaches Added to SafeSport Banned List

Braden Keith
by Braden Keith 4

September 02nd, 2022 National, News

Two USA Swimming club coaches have been added to the US Center for Safesport database after being charged with criminal misconduct. Jon Beber was arrested on charges of sexual assault of a minor and Matt Papachronis was arrested on charges of stalking. Both have been given temporary suspensions.

Temporary suspensions are used by the US Center for SafeSport while investigating reported allegations. They are published to the Center’s public database when “allegations are so severe that Temporary Restrictions are necessary to mitigate potential risk to others in the sport community,” or in “cases where the sanctions imposed include some period of suspension or ineligibility, after a comprehensive investigation has established a violation of the SafeSport Code.”

Beber was arrested in July in Atlanta, Georgia on charges that he had inappropriate sexual contact with swimmers when he coached a team in Boulder, Colorado between 1997 and 2002. He also coached teams in Albany, New York; Atlanta, and Florida.

Beber was charged with three counts of sex assault on a child by one in a position of trust and extradited to Boulder County to face trial.

At the time of his arrest, he was working as the co-owner of the Joy Cafe in Midtown, Atlanta, which is now listed as temporarily closed.

Papanicholas, as previously reported, was arrested in July on charges of stalking an OnlyFans model in Wisconsin.

Fishers Police told SwimSwam that the criminal charge on the warrant was for stalking and that the warrant was filed by the Plover Police Department in Wisconsin.

The stalking accusation was made by an OnlyFans model after Papachronis drove to Wisconsin and took photos of her both at a baseball game and from outside her apartment.

According to court documents, the OnlyFans model didn’t realize Papachronis had begun stalking her until May 15, when she was attending her boyfriend’s baseball game in Plover, Wisconsin, where an eight-year-old boy approached her and gave her a handwritten note that included $200 in cash.

The boy would later tell police that he was approached by a man at the park who offered him $5 if he would deliver the note to the victim.

Papachronis, 45, reportedly thanked the victim and hoped “his investment” gave her the life she deserved now that he had seen her in person. He also said that he would no longer pursue her in person, adding, “I just had to see for myself.”

The note was signed “love and respect MJP aka JP”.

The victim reportedly blacked out from fear of her own safety after receiving the note.

She told police that she sells provocative photos on OnlyFans but rarely checks her own messages since she has “account managers” who handle responding and managing the account.

Papachronis was recently a coach at Hamilton Southeastern High School, but his employment has been terminated.

Beber and Papachronis were both added to the US Center for SafeSport database with temporary suspensions on August 29, 2022.

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Can run but Not hide!
4 months ago
Shame
1 year ago

The profile of someone coaching youth sports for peanuts in terms of salary is fascinating. What is more fascinating are the people in their clubs that ignore red flags until something catastrophic happens. I blame boards.

Helicopter FAC Dad
Reply to  Shame
1 year ago

Temporary? USA Swim doesn’t take safe sport seriously. I reported a repeated safesport violator and USA Swim gave her a good scolding. Apparently some rules are inconvenient to follow and don’t matter. They won’t do anything to protect kids they only punish after harm has come. Parents are oblivious as well.

About Braden Keith

Braden Keith

Braden Keith is the Editor-in-Chief and a co-founder/co-owner of SwimSwam.com. He first got his feet wet by building The Swimmers' Circle beginning in January 2010, and now comes to SwimSwam to use that experience and help build a new leader in the sport of swimming. Aside from his life on the InterWet, …

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