Security firm fired by USA Gymnastics after reporting alleged abuse to SafeSport

In a impermanent backstage country separated from the remainder of the Indiana Convention Center by achromatic drapes, USA Gymnastics CEO Li Li Leung met connected May 21 with James Cameron, president of Security Concepts Group, a Las Vegas-based steadfast hired by the enactment to supply information astatine large events specified arsenic the Olympic Trials and U.S. Championships arsenic good arsenic nationalist squad grooming camps.

For months Cameron, a seasoned who had earned a Bronze Star portion serving successful Iraq, had a bid of increasing concerns astir jock information astatine USA Gymnastics sponsored events, nationalist squad overseas trips and grooming camps. But present arsenic helium met Leung astatine a USA Gymnastics lawsuit successful Indianapolis, 1 substance was peculiarly pressing for Cameron.

Six days earlier, helium had filed a study with the U.S. Center for SafeSport alleging that helium and an worker had witnessed aggregate incidents of coaches slapping oregon patting underage pistillate gymnasts connected the buttocks successful beforehand of 2 apical USA Gymnastics officials astatine the Elite Challenge, a rhythmic gymnastics contention successful Birmingham, Alabama, an evident usurpation of some the center’s codification and USA Gymnastics’ Safe Sport policy.

Under the U.S. Center for SafeSport codification “A Participating Adult violates the Code by engaging successful inappropriate carnal interaction with a Participant wherever determination is simply a Power Imbalance. Such inappropriate interaction includes, but is not constricted to, intentionally: – touching, slapping, oregon different contacting the buttocks oregon genitals of a Participant…”

The aforesaid connection is repeated successful the Safe Sport Policy for USA Gymnastics, the sport’s nationalist governing body.

Yet according to Cameron’s notes from the meeting, “Li Li responded to this by asking, ‘In what mode was the manager slapping the buttocks?’ She gave the content that 1 mode of slapping whitethorn beryllium acceptable. She further stated ‘some whitethorn disagree with reporting that to harmless sport.’”

The gathering and Cameron’s study to the U.S. Center for SafeSport marked a displacement successful what would go an progressively strained narration betwixt USA Gymnastics and the institution it hired to support young athletes, a rift that would yet effect successful the information steadfast being fired successful September, according to Cameron and hundreds of pages of antecedently undisclosed documents obtained by the Southern California News Group. 

“Things turned aft the SafeSport report,” Cameron said. “Everything that has happened to maine is due to the fact that I reported the SafeSport violations.”

Documents ranging from emails and memos, arsenic good arsenic reports filed with the U.S. Center for SafeSport and the nationalist governing body’s harmless athletics office, amusement a high-level USA Gymnastics authoritative acknowledging holes successful the organization’s inheritance cheque strategy and repeated concerns raised by Cameron and his steadfast that the civilization of maltreatment wrong the American athletics that enabled the intersexual maltreatment committed by erstwhile U.S. Olympic and nationalist squad doc Larry Nassar continues.

The documents besides uncover that USA Gymnastics main strategy officer, main programme manager and main of unit are being investigated by the U.S. Center for SafeSport for allegedly retaliating against Cameron.

“There are inactive a batch of problems implicit there, nary substance what they enactment successful the beforehand windows arsenic model dressing,” Cameron said referring to USA Gymnastics, the Indianapolis-based, tax-exempt, non-profit.

Emails, memos and different documents amusement however USA Gymnastics officials were hesitant to prosecute a inheritance steadfast that would alert the enactment successful real-time erstwhile a subordinate had been arrested. USA Gymnastics members are presently inheritance checked each 2 years.

“Does USAG’s existent inheritance cheque institution notify USAG erstwhile a subordinate has been arrested for immoderate crime?” Cameron wrote successful a March 12 email to Shelba Waldron, USA Gymnastics manager of Safe Sport Policy and Education.

“No,” Waldron said.

“If inheritance checks are done lone each 2 years, it is imaginable for an incidental to hap which would beryllium a disqualifier nevertheless USAG would beryllium unaware until the adjacent scheduled inheritance check,” Cameron asked.

“It has happened before,” Waldron responded.

The documents uncover Cameron and his staff’s repeated concerns astir the civilization wrong rhythmic gymnastics and what helium described arsenic USA Gymnastics’ nonaccomplishment to show it.

Cameron filed a study with the U.S. Center for SafeSport that a rhythmic manager forced a intelligibly injured jock successful tears to proceed to bid astatine the Birmingham contention successful May.

Under the U.S. Center for SafeSport, “Physical misconduct” is defined arsenic “any intentional interaction oregon non-contact behaviour that causes, oregon reasonably threatens to cause, carnal harm to different person. Examples of carnal misconduct whitethorn include, without limitation: a. Contact violations Punching, beating, biting, striking, strangling oregon slapping another; intentionally hitting different with objects, specified arsenic sporting equipment; encouraging oregon knowingly permitting an Athlete to instrumentality to play prematurely pursuing a superior wounded (e.g., a concussion) and without the clearance of a aesculapian professional.”

“To maine rhythmic is inactive successful that satellite of suck it up and bash it which opened the doorway for idiosyncratic similar Nassar to travel successful and groom, ‘How are you?’ and beryllium the bully arsenic opposed to the mean coach,” Cameron said.

SCNG provided USA Gymnastics a elaborate database of the allegations raised by Cameron.

“Athlete information is unequivocally the apical precedence of the existent USA Gymnastics leadership. That precedence requires that our contracted information beryllium capable to participate each countries successful which we compete, comply with section requirements and regulations, record ceremonial constabulary reports arsenic directed erstwhile our athletes are threatened, absorption exclusively connected their duties, respect the privateness of jock interaction information, and travel each of our information and information protocols,” USA Gymnastics said successful a connection to SCNG. “Mr. Cameron’s occupation show successful 2021 made wide that helium was unwilling oregon incapable to conscionable these requirements.

“Mr. Cameron has deliberately mischaracterized oregon falsified his interactions with USAG staff, astir disturbingly and intentionally regarding SafeSport. All USAG unit and contractors are mandatory reporters for SafeSport. In fact, during their speech successful Indianapolis, Li Li Leung specifically directed him to study immoderate concerns helium had straight to SafeSport – 1 of aggregate instances wherever she and Lauryn Turner specifically and consistently directed him to formally record with SafeSport immoderate lawsuit of interest to him. Multiple USAG unit person filed SafeSport reports; it is simply a signifier we not lone promote but require.”

After earning a Bronze Star arsenic a sniper successful combat successful Iraq, Cameron was trained and employed by Blackwater, according to documents helium provided SCNG, and worked with the U.S. State Department connected information details for the U.S. diplomats successful Iraq and Afghanistan. He aboriginal provided information for royal families successful the Middle East. He opened Security Concepts successful 2009. Cameron is committee certified by ASIS International, an Alexandria, Virginia-based enactment that sets standards and guidelines for the information industry.

USA Gymnastics hired Cameron and Security Concepts successful 2017 aft officials watched the steadfast supply information astatine an lawsuit successful Anaheim.

Cameron was astatine the Elite Challenge successful Birmingham connected May 13 erstwhile helium received a substance from a pistillate worker monitoring the rhythmic competition. The pistillate had “witnessed 2 coaches pat their athletes connected the buttocks with 1 manus arsenic they walked retired connected the performance,” according to 2 confidential incidental reports filed with USA Gymnastics and a confidential ailment made to the U.S. Center for SafeSport.

“‘Hey is ass slapping a thing?’” Cameron recalled the worker penning him.

“No, it’s not a thing,” Cameron responded to her.

“She was. ‘Oh, truly due to the fact that it’s happening implicit here,’” Cameron said successful an interview. “I was OK. So I went implicit and I witnessed it. I witnessed it myself and I witnessed it with 2 oregon 3 coaches, not the aforesaid athlete, not the aforesaid coaches, truthful it was a benignant of a taste thing. But the slaps were hard capable that determination could person been bruising.”

Cameron past sent a connection to Waldron, USA Gymnastics Director of Safe Sport Education and Policy, that successful his and the pistillate employee’s “professional sentiment is that the slapping and touching of the buttocks did look guiltless without immoderate intersexual discourse nevertheless it was inactive against USAG Safe Sport argumentation which warrants a study beryllium created successful bid for Safe Sport to investigate,” according to a USA Gymnastics incidental report.

“(Cameron) wanted to guarantee a study was filed and not trust connected USAG Staff to bash so, frankincense the ailment volition beryllium filed connected the Safe Sport website reporting portal,” the incidental study continued.

Cameron said the incidents took spot successful beforehand of Stefanie Korepin, USA Gymnastics main programme director, and Caroline Hunt, the organization’s elder manager for the rhythmic program. Korepin, similar Hunt, is simply a erstwhile U.S. nationalist rhythmic squad subordinate who competed successful some the World Championships and Pan American Games. Hunt was named manager of the rhythmic programme by past USA Gymnastics CEO Steve Penny successful 2007.

“My concern, from my liability, that that was the lone crushed that I reported it was, but wherever it took spot it was close earlier they competed and it was successful afloat show of judges, Stephanie Korepin (sic), Caroline Hunt, who was successful complaint of rhythmic, the audience, which would person been parents and anybody other who would person been watching,” Cameron wrote. “So it was successful plain presumption of everybody. And the past happening I wanted was for idiosyncratic to accidental hey, did you spot that and wherefore didn’t information accidental thing astir it.

“Some coaches unfastened handed, gave a bully smack connected the buttocks, immoderate 2 handed bully smack connected buttocks and the effect from that was the jock would instantly get up connected their tippy toes and spell retired and compete. It was similar their grooming of erstwhile you get slapped connected the ass, I get up connected my toes and go.

“I person the SafeSport (code) and it says determination is nary grey area: nary touching oregon slapping of the buttocks.”

SCNG raised Cameron’s allegation that Korepin and Hunt had witnessed the incidents with USA Gymnastics. The enactment did not code the allegations successful its statement.

Two days later, Cameron filed a ceremonial ailment with the U.S. Center for SafeSport stating that helium and the pistillate Security Concepts worker had “witnessed aggregate incidents of Rhythmic coaches either patting oregon slapping insignificant athletes connected the buttocks anterior to the athlete’s performance.”

Cameron aboriginal that time via email informed Waldron and Korepin that helium had filed a ailment with the U.S. Center for SafeSport. Waldron requested a transcript of the ailment successful a May 17 telephone telephone to Cameron, according to documents. Cameron complied.

Later Cameron said Annie Heffernon, USA Gymnastics vice president for the women’s program, told him “people successful the bureau are pissed astatine you” for filing the reports with the U.S. Center for SafeSport.

“That’s not the argumentation and besides isn’t that what got USAG successful occupation successful the archetypal place?” Cameron recalled responding.

USA Gymnastics was asked by SCNG astir the Heffernon quote. The enactment did not specifically code the punctuation successful its statement.

Cameron besides elaborate successful the email to Waldron and Korepin an incidental wherever a coach, according to Cameron, appeared to unit an injured jock to proceed training.

“I besides privation to marque you alert that the aesculapian squad had mentioned that determination appeared to beryllium signs of affectional maltreatment and oregon hazing (as defined by the USAG Safe Sport Policy) of immoderate of the athletes by the coaches,” Cameron wrote successful the email. “They mentioned that a manager (unknown of who oregon what club) was speaking precise firmly (in connection different than English) to the athletes and they (the athletes) were crying and visibly emotionally upset during the conversation. I besides witnessed akin behaviour (minus the jock crying) and without knowing the connection being spoken I cannot corroborate what was being said. What I did witnesser was the assemblage language, code and the wide mode the manager was addressing definite athletes which could person fallen into affectional maltreatment and oregon hazing again arsenic defined by the USAG Safe Sport Policy.

“Coincidentally I spoke with a Trampoline justice regarding the judging process this morning. That speech led to asking astir antithetic judging requirements for the antithetic disciplines and different justice questions truthful I could amended recognize and summation cognition connected the wide scoring process. That justice stated and I volition paraphrase ‘there is nary mode I would beryllium a rhythmic justice due to the fact that I conscionable cognize determination are a batch of Safe Sport violations going connected implicit there’ I had not discussed immoderate of the behaviors I witnessed with Rhythmic and that effect was the justice conscionable speaking plainly.”

Leung told Cameron during the May 21 gathering that she was unaware that helium had filed complaints with the U.S. Center for SafeSport astir the Birmingham incidents, helium recalled.

“That’s hard to believe,” Cameron said. “If she didn’t cognize past it’s a nonaccomplishment connected the portion of her staff.”

Cameron said helium besides recounted the injured gymnast incidental to Leung during their meeting.

“I besides told her astir the jock I witnessed being injured and astatine nary constituent did the manager suggest her spell to medical,” Cameron wrote successful his notes connected the meeting. “In fact, alternatively the manager continued to person the jock proceed to practice.

“I further indicated that the behaviour witnessed successful Birmingham, AL was reminiscent of however USAG coach’s treated athletes successful years past. (possible carnal abuse, intersexual abuse, and verbal abuse) (Multiple SCG incidental reports created). I advised her that arsenic Risk Managers it was my occupation to pass her and that digit of liability volition constituent close astatine USAG if/when thing is reported. I besides stated that we papers everything and volition proceed to study based connected USAG Safe Sport Policies.”

SCNG asked USA Gymnastics if Leung recalled making the comments Cameron said she had made successful the May 21 meeting. The enactment did not specifically code the comments successful its effect for the article.

Cameron besides met U.S. Center for SafeSport CEO Ju’Riese Colon that aforesaid time successful Indianapolis. In the gathering and successful a follow-up email to Colon connected May 24, Cameron reviewed the Birmingham incidents and his concerns astir what helium said was a deficiency of supervision of the rhythmic program.

“From my position the USAG Executive Team cannot verify this behaviour is not happening,” Cameron wrote successful the email. “As I mentioned to my cognition determination presently determination is nary 1 observing this subject who would beryllium considered a non-bias 3rd party.”

In the ensuing weeks, Cameron said helium was near retired of meetings involving information and staffing, walk-throughs astatine venues for USA Gymnastics events, and near disconnected nationalist squad planetary trips.

Cameron besides had a bid of heated exchanges with Debbie Shon, USA Gymnastics main strategy officer, implicit his effect to derogatory comments astir Tevin Biles-Thomas, Simone Biles’ brother, made connected the Olympic champion’s societal media platforms soon earlier the Olympic Trials successful St. Louis past June. The comments were made aft Biles-Thomas was acquitted connected execution charges successful a fatal shooting successful which 3 radical were killed astatine a 2018 New Year’s Eve party.

“Hope idiosyncratic does the aforesaid happening to your child. Your brothers karma is coming aft your full family,” work 1 tweet.

Others were similar.

Shon demanded Cameron record a study with the St. Louis Police Department.

“When a lawsuit successful the concatenation of bid asks you – intelligibly and unequivocally – to execute a task related to security, you are to execute that task,” Shon wrote successful a June 21 email to Cameron.

“I explained (to Shon) steps I was taking to marque definite (Simone Biles) had a harmless accomplishment and that I could not record a constabulary report,” Cameron said successful an interview.

“In my nonrecreational sentiment they did not airs a nonstop menace to Simone oregon her household nevertheless I did notify section instrumentality enforcement, the section FBI Special Agent successful Charge, caput of venue information and airdrome security.

“Debbie Shon was demanding that I record a constabulary study which I tried to explicate to her I could not since nary transgression was committed, I americium not the unfortunate and I americium not an serviceman of USAG. She past stated she would instrumentality that arsenic a refusal to bash my occupation which is simply not true…

“I person ne'er discounted immoderate threats to USAG, athletes, coaches, vendors, parents oregon partners. In information I often get contacted successful regards to stalkers, letters and gifts from athletes and erstwhile athletes.”

The code of Shon’s emails prompted Cameron to interaction his attorney, helium said.

“They’re mounting maine up now. She was trying to acceptable maine up to authorities that I wasn’t doing my job,” Cameron recalled telling the attorney, referring to USA Gymnastics and Shon.

Cameron filed a ceremonial ailment with the U.S. Center for SafeSport connected July 15, alleging that USA Gymnastics officials were retaliating against him for reporting the Birmingham incidents to the center.

The ailment specifically names Korepin, Shon and Lauryn Turner, USA Gymnastics main of staff.

Under the U.S. Center for SafeSport code, “Retaliation against anyone for engaging successful the Center’s processes is prohibited.”

“A Participant, idiosyncratic acting connected behalf of a Participant, an NGB, LAO, the USOPC oregon immoderate enactment nether the Center’s jurisdiction shall not instrumentality an adverse enactment against immoderate idiosyncratic for making a bully religion study of a imaginable Code usurpation to the Center oregon different applicable enactment arsenic identified herein oregon for participating successful immoderate process nether this Code. Retaliation includes threatening, intimidating, harassing, coercing oregon immoderate different behaviour that would discourage a tenable idiosyncratic from engaging oregon participating successful the Center’s processes erstwhile the action is reasonably related to the study oregon engagement with the Center. Retaliation whitethorn beryllium contiguous adjacent wherever determination is simply a uncovering that nary usurpation occurred.

Dennis O. Evans, a U.S. Center for SafeSport’s enactment manager for effect and resolution, told Cameron successful a Sept. 10 email the lawsuit had been assigned an investigator.

By that time, Cameron had been fixed announcement that his services were going to beryllium terminated. He received an email from Turner connected Sept. 2 informing him of the organization’s decision.

“Thank you for SCG’s erstwhile services,” Turner wrote. “While we admit the support, delight enactment that USAG has decided to determination successful different direction. …. delight see this USA Gymnastics’ written thirty-day announcement to terminate.”

A week aboriginal Cameron received a missive from Christopher J. Schneider, an lawyer for Miller Johnson, a Michigan instrumentality steadfast retained by USA Gymnastics.

“USAG did not terminate SCG’s declaration due to the fact that of immoderate Safe Sport report. USAG terminated SCG’s declaration due to the fact that of important concerns with SCG’s performance, including concerns regarding your behavior, deficiency of candor and creditability (sic), and struggle of interests. In aggregate encounters, your code and demeanor, including your galore emails chastising USAG for modifying question and sum were unwarranted, unnecessary, and unprofessional,” Schneider wrote. “Moreover, you failed to enactment with modular information protocol regarding a credible menace made against 1 of USAG’s athletes and her family. Furthermore, you were not forthcoming and dismissive erstwhile asked to corroborate with section instrumentality enforcement and you failed to timely counsel section authorities of the threat. You besides stated to USAG executives that you worked astatine the U.S. Department Diplomatic Security Services, nevertheless Department unit records bash not bespeak your sanction oregon societal information fig arsenic an worker with DSS oregon immoderate portion thereof. Lastly, successful the caller months, your absorption portion connected the occupation has been little astir the information of our athletes and much astir the request to prosecute with prospective clients. This is unprofessional and diverted your attraction distant from the enactment you should person been doing for USAG.”

Cameron denied that helium misled USA Gymnastics astir his relation with the State Department.

“I ne'er stated to USAG I was employed straight to the U.S. Department of State Diplomatic Security Services,” Cameron said successful an email. “I did nevertheless authorities I worked for them, which I did arsenic a contractor for some Blackwater USA and Triple Canopy successful some Iraq and Afghanistan. I worked straight nether DoS successful that relation and capacity.”

Documents provided SCNG by Cameron bespeak helium was trained and employed by Blackwater and was portion of backstage firms that provided information to U.S. officials successful Iraq and Afghanistan.

Cameron received a certificate of appreciation from the U.S. Embassy successful Baghdad for “courageously” protecting the U.S. ambassadors to Iraq arsenic good arsenic Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arsenic good arsenic different diplomats and dignitaries during trips to the region.

In its connection to SCNG, USA Gymnastics said, “Any accusation oregon presumption that his termination was for immoderate crushed different than those related to show is demonstrably false, arsenic elaborate successful our correspondence with him and arbitration filings. Some of the astir captious show issues were the following:

“At the U.S. Gymnastics Championships June 3-6, 2021, successful Ft. Worth, Mr. Cameron had respective inappropriate and/or unprofessional interactions with USAG interns, athletes, and athletes’ parents. (For example, attempting to solicit employment from an athlete’s genitor portion connected the level and moving for USAG.) We addressed these incidents with him directly.

“Mr. Cameron failed to record a ceremonial constabulary study with St. Louis PD erstwhile helium was informed of a credible menace against an jock and the athlete’s household starring up to the Olympic Trials (June 24-27, 2021, successful St. Louis), contempt respective written directives from USAG to bash so.

“After the Olympic Trials, helium declined our petition to travel a U.S. rhythmic gymnastics delegation to an planetary lawsuit due to the fact that helium would beryllium denied introduction into the country.”

The planetary travel successful question was to a Grand Prix lawsuit successful Israel. In a July 7 email to Cameron, Korepin wrote, “I inquire that you corroborate arsenic soon arsenic possible” whether helium oregon different Security Concepts worker “serve arsenic the USAG information agent” for the Israel event. A Security Concepts worker accompanied the U.S. squad connected the trip. Cameron said helium had concerns that his introduction into the state would beryllium delayed due to the fact that of his erstwhile employment successful the United Arab Emirates.

“We staffed the trip,” helium said.

The USA Gymnastics connection continued “Following these and different occupation show issues, helium was removed by USAG from the information item for the Olympic Games.

“We notified him of termination of our declaration connected Sept. 2, 2021.”

In the July 7 email to Cameron, Korepin recounted that the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee and State Department Diplomatic Security Service (DSS) had to USA Gymnastics that national agents would beryllium assigned to U.S. Olympic gymnastics teams astatine the Olympic Games successful Tokyo. A pre-Olympic grooming campy successful Japan was not primitively included successful the DSS plan, USA Gymnastics “consulted with you to supply those services,” Korepin wrote.

But connected July 6, Korepin continued “however, USOPC and the DSS confirmed that DSS would supply further information sum for the duration of our athletes’ enactment successful Japan, including the pre-Games grooming camp. Given this confirmation, SCG services are nary longer required for the Tokyo Games though we admit your willingness to supply them.”

The full USA Gymnastics statement, Cameron said “all of that is blatantly false.”

If USA Gymnastics had concerns astir Cameron and Security Concept’s show they should person been raised successful a show evaluation, Cameron said.

The presumption of the firm’s declaration with USA Gymnastics states that “Performance Evaluation SCG’s show shall beryllium periodically evaluated by Client, utilizing the SCG Performance Evaluation. Such valuation whitethorn beryllium utilized successful determining the frequence successful which SCG performs Work and/or Services for Client.”

Cameron said nary specified show valuation took place.

Cameron besides addressed USA Gymnastics’ assertion that breached U.S. Center for SafeSport confidentiality guidelines successful his handling of the Birmingham incident.

“As a substance of information USAG’s Shelba Waldron via a telephone speech requested maine to nonstop her a transcript of the Safe Sport generated study summary which I did via email sent May 17 2021 astatine 9:57 am,” Cameron wrote successful an email. “She stated that USAG needed it for their records. If it is confidential arsenic indicated successful the ineligible missive received I bash not judge she should person requested this document. This is simply a grounds of the incidental which was reported to Safe Sport. I did talk of the incidents to others nevertheless I did not authorities immoderate names of the athletes oregon coaches. I spoke of these issues to effort and bring consciousness to the violations I witnessed.”