https://www.basicrightsforathletes.com/

Ivan (Vanya)  Desyatov, a dedicated and popular young figure skater, came to the United States to train for ice dancing with his partner. He has trained in ice dance from the age of four and rose up the ranks to become an elite skater competing in international events. Tragically, he lost his parents as a teenager and sought solace in the sport he loved. 

Vanya’s talent and determination led to him being asked to train in the United States with a new partner. With his new skating partner, Isabella Flores, they shot up the ranks as a promising and captivating young ice dance couple, and were looking forward to continue on their path to successful careers in figure skating.

But just two days before their most important competition, he was abruptly suspended by the U.S. Center for SafeSport based on an unproven allegation from a former friend and adult competitor from abroad. He is not being investigated by any legal authority and has not been charged or convicted of any crime.

https://www.instagram.com/bellaandvanya4ever?igsh=dnU3NzZ1ZHBpc2xt&utm_source=qr

His suspension was unparalleled given the circumstances of the allegation.  He was denied the right to due process and the right to train.  Vanya and his ice dance partner were prevented from competing for an entire season. We suspect this might have been for political reasons and have reason to believe corruptive forces might be at play. 

His accuser who is well known to him hired a public relations team  abroad seemingly to smear  Vanya's reputation before any sort of SafeSport investigation was done and without him being able to tell his side. He faces months long delays for SafeSport to process the claim while he remains suspended from an unsubstantiated allegation from one of his adult peers.  Sadly, he has been on the receiving end of cyberbullying, his process rights have been abused, and an unfair suspension lingers due to an investigation delay that could rob him of another competitive year in training.

Every athlete deserves the chance to defend themselves before being denied the right to train and compete for months on end.  This is shocking in a democratic country like the United States. 

Shockingly, four months have passed and Vanya has not been given the opportunity to tell his side of the story. This presents a clear disregard for the pillar of justice that deems a person innocent until proven guilty. It's crucial to note that every allegation should be taken seriously, but not by compromising an athlete's right to a fair and timely process of investigation. How can you verify the allegation if the accused athlete isn't allowed to speak or provide evidence in his defense for months? 

This petition highlights a significant concern regarding the suspension practices of the U.S. Center for SafeSport, particularly in cases where athletes are denied due process. The case in question involves a suspension based on a single, one-sided allegation stemming from an isolated interaction between two adult peers, with no prior history. Vanya Desyatov was not given an opportunity to present evidence or be heard before the suspension was imposed.

The U.S. Center for SafeSport, a private organization authorized by Congress to protect athletes from abuse, is mandated to ensure due process. However, their operational procedures often bypass this critical principle in a way that seems to be misleading to the public and congress.  Athletes are frequently suspended for months or even years before a thorough investigation occurs. By the time these investigations are concluded—sometimes exonerating the accused—the damage to an athlete's career and reputation is often irreparable.

Despite legal challenges over several years, the Center has continued to deny athletes the constitutional protections afforded professional athletes and employees such as nurses, doctors, and teachers, whose rights are safeguarded by unions and legal frameworks. Amateur athletes, however, remain vulnerable, lacking similar protections. 

This petition calls for a reevaluation of SafeSport’s processes to ensure transparency, fairness, and adherence to the principle of due process. It advocates for equal protection for amateur athletes, comparable to other professionals, and emphasizes the urgent need to address flaws in the system that allow suspensions based on unsubstantiated allegations, thereby upholding the values of justice and fairness.

• We must step in to help rectify this situation and demand an urgent and unbiased investigation into this case, as we suspect it might be getting delayed for discriminatory and political reasons.
• We request the U.S. Center for SafeSport to lift this unjustified suspension on Vanya due to the one-sided nature of the allegation and the damage inflicted on his training and psychological wellbeing. The circumstances of the unsubstantiated  allegation do not justify him being a danger in continuing to train in his sport. 

 This instance should serve as a reminder that every athlete deserves a just and swift process that recognizes their immense dedication and sacrifice to their sport. Potentially innocent amateur athletes stand truly unique in being denied due process rights to be heard before issuing career-ending months-long suspensions. Professional athletes and athletes facing doping violations are granted due process rights, but not amateur athletes in the USA under SafeSport.  If this can happen to Vanya, every athlete is equally vulnerable to having their rights denied by this process.

SafeSport and the broader sporting community must find ways to address abuse without causing additional harm or undermining the integrity of athletes careers.

Sign this petition to expedite Ivan Desyatov's case after four months of delays and lift his unprecedented suspension to restore a fair process and any remaining integrity in  the investigation.  It sets a dangerous precedent and puts every athlete's wellness and career at risk, if a potentially innocent athlete could have a system designed to protect them, weaponized against them by denying due process which legally means the right to be heard BEFORE being issued career-ending suspensions.  

It is unacceptable, especially in the United States and all the principles we stand for. 

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