Longtime U.S. Snowboard Coach Peter Foley Suspended For Sexual Misconduct

Peter Foley, the longtime head coach of the U.S. snowboard team, has been suspended for 10 years by the U.S. Center for SafeSport for sexual misconduct.

The suspension comes after an 18-month investigation into allegations that Foley had molested former team members, coerced women on the team to take naked photos, and crawled into bed with them.

Foley, 58, denied the allegations, but the SafeSport investigation found them to be credible.

"The SafeSport Center has a mission to protect athletes from all forms of abuse," said SafeSport CEO Sarah Hirshland. "This suspension sends a clear message that sexual misconduct will not be tolerated in sport."

Foley was the head coach of the U.S. snowboard team for 28 years. He led the team to seven Olympic medals, including gold medals in 2002 and 2010.

He was fired by U.S. Ski & Snowboard in March 2022, after the allegations against him were first made public.

The suspension is the latest in a series of sexual misconduct scandals to rock the world of skiing. In 2020, former U.S. Ski & Snowboard coach Bill Alsgaard was banned for life from the sport for sexual misconduct.

And in 2021, former U.S. Ski & Snowboard development coach Jesse Hunt was sentenced to 10 years in prison for sexually abusing young athletes.

The SafeSport investigation into Foley is part of a broader effort to address sexual misconduct in sport. In 2017, the U.S. Congress passed the Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act, which created the SafeSport Center and gave it the authority to investigate and discipline athletes, coaches, and other members of the sports community for sexual misconduct.

The SafeSport Center has received more than 16,000 reports of sexual misconduct since it was created. It has opened more than 6,000 investigations and imposed sanctions on more than 3,000 individuals.

The suspension of Peter Foley is a significant step in the fight against sexual misconduct in sport. It sends a message that sexual predators will not be tolerated, and it helps to create a safer environment for athletes.