During the trials, according to the lawsuit, Griswold began “purposely and maliciously” grooming Egbert, who was vulnerable because of his intellectual disability and physical limitations. Griswold began sexually assaulting Egbert in Tokyo and continued after Egbert moved into the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Training Center in January 2022, the suit says.
The complaint also says that Egbert’s parents were rebuffed when they raised concerns with the U.S.O.P.C. throughout 2022 about changes in their son’s behavior while living at the training center: He lost weight, had uncontrollable bowel movements and no longer wanted to take showers. He also wrote a story about a group of friends who defeated “Hurricane Robert.” Egbert told his parents that this represented Griswold, who he said been verbally and physically abusive toward him.
On Aug. 21, Egbert told his parents that Griswold had sexually abused him and said that Griswold told him he would get in trouble if he told anyone, the suit says.
A U.S.O.P.C. spokesperson said the organization learned of the accusations of sexual abuse against Griswold from Egbert’s mother that same day, called police and SafeSport, immediately removed Griswold from the training center, and suspended him from the national team. A public information officer for the Colorado Springs Police Department confirmed there is an open investigation related to the claims in Egbert’s lawsuit.
The specific details of the prior complaint made against Griswold are not fully known. In September 2020, Griswold was listed in SafeSport’s disciplinary database as having temporary restrictions for allegations of misconduct, which could cover a range of degrees of physical, emotional or sexual abuse. One month later, SafeSport confirmed Griswold’s eligibility to compete at the Paralympic Games, the U.S.O.P.C. said.
The Egberts declined an interview request through their lawyers. According to the lawsuit, Parker Egbert is continuing to deal with the aftermath of the assaults and no longer feels safe training with or competing for the U.S.O.P.C.
“Now, swimming, the thing that gave him so much joy, is a source of terror,” said Elizabeth A. Kramer, another of Egbert’s lawyers. “We hope to get him some measure of justice for the nightmare he is enduring.”
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