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American Paralympic swimmer Robert Griswold has been accused of sexually assaulting one of his teammates.
Alawsuit was filed against Griswold, 25, in the U.S. District Court of Colorado on Nov. 11, according toUSA Today.
The victim is described in the lawsuit as a 19-year-old who has autism and “has suffered from developmental delay and intellectual disability for his entire life,” per the outlet.
Added Salzano: “As you can imagine, this ordeal has been extraordinarily difficult for the Egbert family, as well as the other victims and families that have been impacted, so we ask that their privacy be respected.”
The documents, perUSA Today, claim Griswold “maliciously” took Egbert under his wing and later allegedly raped him.
Another teammate said in the filing that Griswold oversaw the intellectually disabled swimmers. One USA Paralympic swimmer added in the claim that they punched a wall after seeing what happened between Griswold and the accuser.
Griswold allegedly continued to groom and assault Egbert after competing in the Tokyo Olympics last year, urging him to relocate to the Olympic and Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs.
The Colorado Springs Police Department could not be reached for comment, though the department toldUSA Todaythat there is a current investigation.
Griswold is also accused of encouraging Egbert’s parents to limit their son’s access to technology. However, the lawsuit states, “In actuality, Griswold had constructed a false narrative as a way to exert extreme control over … his life,” per the publication.
At one point, the victim began creating stories about “Hurricane Robert” who he said “made a mess” for locals in a falsified town. He told his parents about the alleged encounter and they pulled him from the center, according to the filing, perUSA Today.
Egbert is back home with his parents in Iowa. The lawsuit says, per the outlet, he is afraid “Griswold ‘knows where they live’ and is going to kill [him].' "
His mother, Laura Egbert, told Greenville, South Carolina’s NBC affiliate WYFF that Griswold threatened to take her life if she spoke aboutthe alleged assault incidents.
The lawsuit claims that Griswold has a history of sexual assault, WYFF reported.
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The U.S. Center for SafeSport also said in a statement, per WYFF, that it “does not comment on matters to protect the integrity of its investigative process.”
The U.S. Center for SafeSport did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment.
It’s not currently clear if Griswold has a legal representative to comment on his behalf.
If you or someone you know has been sexually assaulted, please contact the National Sexual Assault Hotline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673) or go torainn.org.
source: people.com
