The Ban Has Been Issued

Don Peters has been banned from the sport of gymnastics for life. To add insult to injury, the USAG also revoked his Hall of Fame membership. Certainly that's the part that had to hurt the ego a bit. And, lets be clear, a man who purportedly said, in the throes of all of this horror, "This will all blow over, like the Tiger Woods thing" has a big ego.

Let's not celebrate just yet though. The USAG did the right thing. But their hand was forced by Mr. Scott Reid of the OC Register , proving that solid investigative journalism can provoke change. I'd also argue that the USAG had no choice with the goings on in Pennsylvania at the moment. Do they want to appear to be another Joe Paterno, protecting the university or institution at the expense of children? No. Better to stand up as bold protectors of the athletes. And...the good news is this: if you act that way, you become it. (It's like if you smile enough you feel happy!) Now they are holding themselves to this standard. Now they must staunchly defend the athletes. The cat is out of the proverbial bag, they have nothing left to hide, and they've put the word out that abusers won't be tolerated. They have to walk that walk.  This is great news!

I'm still hoping that: 1) the definition of "abuse" is broadened as we look to protect the athlete - there is widespread physical and emotional abuse and bullying in sports that needs to be tackled; 2) that future witnesses will be moved to action.

We are all "heroes in waiting" as Phillip Zimbardo would say. If we are prepared to do the right thing, when the moment presents itself, we will. We won't pull a McQueary.  We'll go right in that shower and say: What the fuck are you doing? Get off the kid! We'd get physical if needed, then find the closest security guard or police officer. We wouldn't tell university officials or other gym parents. We'd tell the police! Because pedophiles deserve to be punished by law, not just by ban. And until coaches are held to the same standards as teachers and other state childcare workers - obligated to protect the child and report any suspected abuse - we won't fix this problem.

So this is just a start. It makes a statement, to be sure. It is the right thing, to be sure. And for this, I'm grateful.  I honestly thought I'd never see this happen. I've known about the abuse this man inflicted for nearly 20 years. I tried my damnedest to be a good friend to my girl Doe ... standing by and trying to help her figure it out, resolve it, in her own way. Rather than just knock the door down and scream and yell from the rooftops and make Peters apologize and pay and cry in denial then beg for forgiveness (hah) ... which would have been MY way. And maybe not so effective. And certainly not in Doe's best interest. Patience paid off. Truth won out. Even if it was 25 years after the fact.

But it's all just getting' started.