US Olympic figure skating coach given lifetime ban following investigation into abuse allegations

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The U.S. Center for SafeSport issued a lifetime ban for U.S. Olympic pairs figure skating coach Dalilah Sappenfield Wednesday, citing physical and emotional misconduct. 

SafeSport, a national nonprofit organization founded in 2017, announced the ban on its central disciplinary database this week. In addition to the abuse, the entry cites retaliation, proactive policy violation, abuse of process and failure to report. 

A skater jumps during the Figure Skating Gala Exhibition at the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympic Games at Capital Indoor Stadium Feb. 20, 2022, in Beijing, China.  (David Ramos/Getty Images)

"Culture change is happening," SafeSport CEO Ju’Riese Colón told USA Today in a statement. 

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"Actions that were once tolerated or ignored are no longer accepted, and accountability is taking root," she continued. 

"That’s progress, but creating long-term culture change requires steadfast commitment by everyone in the sport community to fostering safe environments for athletes to fulfill their potential. Those who cling to toxic tactics will be left behind and on the wrong side of history."

The ban comes more than two years after an investigation into Sappenfield was launched by SafeSport.

According to a USA Today report published in 2021, Sappenfield was temporarily barred from having contact with a dozen skaters and coaching without supervision following allegations of verbal abuse from 2016 U.S. national pairs