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6 months ago
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An Australian Winter Olympics flagbearer will appeal a lifetime ban in the United States for alleged sexual misconduct involving a minor.
Brendan Kerry, a triple Olympian figure skater who was Australia's joint flagbearer at the Beijing Winter Games in 2022, has been permanently banned by the US Center for SafeSport.
Kerry, 29, says he is innocent.
'After hearing nothing from the US Center for SafeSport for almost three years ... I received their decision with no advance warning whatsoever, sanctioning me for alleged violations that I did not commit,' Kerry said in a statement.
'That decision is not final and I intend to challenge this suspension and request arbitration before a neutral arbitrator as is my right.'
Three-time Winter Olympian Brendan Kerry (pictured) will appeal a lifetime ban in the United States for alleged sexual misconduct involving a minor
The Sydney-born athlete has been permanently banned by the US Center for SafeSport
US figure skater Gracie Gold has also made an accusation against Kerry, but she was not a minor at the time of that alleged offence
Kerry, who won seven consecutive Australian figure skating titles from 2013, was a registered coach with US Figure Skating in the 2016-17 season when the misconduct was alleged to have occurred.
ESPN cited a confidential summary of an investigation into Kerry by SafeSport, the US Olympic movement's sexual misconduct watchdog.
SafeSport also investigated an allegation Kerry forced a second skater into non-consensual sex at a party in 2016, but found insufficient evidence to prove that claim.
US figure skater Gracie Gold has since told ESPN she is the second skater.
Kerry's ban only applies in the US where SafeSport has jurisdiction - but he has stood down from coaching at Sydney's Macquarie Ice Rink by mutual agreement with Australian figure skating authorities.
The Australian Professional Skaters' Association said it would perform its own investigation.
Brendan Kerry (pictured, representing Australia at the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing) has been accused of having sex with a skater aged 16 or 17
The 29-year-old (pictured at the 2018 Winter Games) denies all the allegations and is not facing any criminal charges
Figure skater Gracie Gold has told ESPN she had non-consensual sex with Kerry. However, there was not enough evidence to prove the allegation the Australian has not faced any criminal charges
The Australian Olympic Committee and Ice Skating Australia (ISA) were both unaware of the SafeSport investigation until the sanction was released on Wednesday, AEDT time.
Kerry won eight Australian figure skating titles - including seven in a row - and competed at the Winter Olympics in 2014, 2018 and 2022.
He retired after the Beijing Games two years ago when he recorded his best Olympic finish, 17th. Kerry placed 29th in 2014 and 20th in 2018.
English (US)