USA Swimming Bans Brock Turner For Life And Other Sports Need To Take Note
Finally some appropriate action is being taken in the Stanford rape case.
Scumbags can't swim.
USA Swimming banned rapist, Stanford student, and former college athlete Brock Turner from swimming for life.
According to USA Today, USA Swimming confirmed that Turner will not be eligible to compete at any USA Swimming-sanctioned events, including the Olympic Trials.
Turner sexually assaulted an unconscious woman behind a dumpster in January 2015.
After being sentenced to just six months in prison, which reportedly has already been shortened to three months, the USA Swimming ban comes at a time when society has begun to question the repercussions that stem from acts of sheer evil in the form of physically violating another human being.
USA Swimming spokesman Scott Leightman told USA Today that the USA Swimming code of conduct has zero tolerance for sexual offenses. Though Turner has not been an official member since 2014 and was not a member when he committed the sexual assault, Leightman told USA Today there is no chance he will have the opportunity to become a member again.
"Brock Turner is not a member of USA Swimming and, should he apply, he would not be eligible for membership. ... Had he been a member, he would be subject to the USA Swimming Code of Conduct," Leightman explained. "USA Swimming strictly prohibits and has zero tolerance for sexual misconduct, with firm Code of Conduct policies in place, and severe penalties, including a permanent ban of membership, for those who violate our Code of Conduct."
This means that Turner, the Olympic hopeful-turned bane of every parent with a daughter's existence, will never be allowed to compete in the Olympic games.
USA Swimming is setting the precedent that yes, even star athletes have consequences.
We live in a world where it's the norm for athletes with promising careers to not be banned or shunned for committing violent crimes and sexual assaults against women.
Our society is filled with cases such as Steubenville, and professional athletes like Ray Rice who only face six game suspensions—but not a ban—as punishment for domestic violence and assault.
Brock Turner's father, who stands behind his son both figuratively and literally, is epitome of why Turner's USA Swimming ban is so important.
Turner's father said he believes his son should not go to prison for "20 minutes of action."
Twenty minutes of action that Turner's victim will have to live with for the rest of her life. Twenty minutes of action that violated another person in every possible way. Twenty minutes of action that, you better believe, should not allow him to even set foot in a swimming pool again, let alone walk free after three to six months in prison.
And this.
Because the person who had to go through those 20 minutes of action, Mr. Turner, "She is someone."
The NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and any other organization of professional athletes should take a page from USA Swimming's code of conduct.
Tolerance for sexual assault promotes ignorance, and ignorance perpetuates the notion that athletes are exempt from facing punishment for crimes they commit.
Turner's ban on swimming and the duration of his prison sentence will not erase the emotional, mental, and physical pain he put this woman through. Her life will never be the same, and USA Swimming stands in support for his never being the same either.