The University of California has fired longtime women’s swimming and diving coach Terry McIver. 8 month study into the Widespread Allegations of Bullying and Abuse.
Cal athletic director Jim Knowlton announced the decision in a letter to student-athletes on Tuesday. The decision was made after extensive research, including interviews with 147 of him and a review of 1,700 of his documents by university attorneys. San Jose Mercury News coverage.
Knowlton’s letter read, “Today, I am writing to inform you that I have separated from my longtime women’s swimming coach, Terry McKeever.” After careful consideration, we strongly believe this is in the best interest of our student-athletes, our swim program, and Cal Athletics as a whole.
“The report details numerous violations of the university’s policy prohibiting discrimination on the basis of race, national origin and disability. Page 482 of this report substantiates far too many allegations of unacceptable behavior. I want to apologize to all the student-athletes. Please come forward and share their stories with investigators.”
According to Mercury News, 44 current or former Cal swimmers and 23 parents were included in the group, including former coaches and administrators, and McKeever was accused of physical insults, They have been accused of engaging in routine bullying, including personal insults, racist language, and pressure to compete while sick or injured.
The complaint dates back to January 2010, when former California swimmer Jenna Race wrote to then-president Robert Joseph Birgeneau alleging she had experienced abuse by McKeever. He was also cleared to coach with Cal for another 11 years.
She took a leave of absence last May when the allegations came to light. Investigation by Southern California NewsgroupsMercury News reports that she has earned over $3 million over the past few years while receiving eight pay raises. Cal won national championships in 2011, 2015 and 2019.
Former Karus swimmer Daniel Carter told the Orange County Register last May McKeever’s abuse allegations led to suicidal thoughts in 2019.
“I literally got to the point where I couldn’t take it anymore,” said Carter. “I can’t do this anymore. I don’t want to live anymore. I literally didn’t want to live that night. I was like, ‘OK, I’m ready to die. I want to kill myself.'” …I don’t want to do it anymore. I don’t want to live
Carter said he texted a teammate for support that night instead. She told The Register that McIver mocked her the next day when she informed her coach that she was contemplating suicide. was one of at least six Cal swimmers who considered suicide due to suspicion of
According to a SCNG study that included interviews with 19 current or former California swimmers, McKeever’s targeted up to three swimmers each year for near-daily bullying and emotional abuse. Reportedly, the LGBTQ swimmer was often the target of her bullying.
Former California swimmer Leanne Toomey says McIver’s abuse allegations led to her attempted suicide in 2018. she told the register On Tuesday, McIver said she got “what she deserves” in her dismissal.
“I’m overjoyed because it was only natural for her to get fired,” Toomey said. I’m not going to do it.’
“For years I had to suffer alone and maybe there was something wrong with me, maybe Terry was right, maybe I wasn’t tough enough. But now I know the abuse was real.”
McIver issued a statement Tuesday through attorney Thomas Newkirk, confirming her dismissal and denying the allegations against her. According to Newkirkhe says the survey is a product of gender bias.
“I deny and unequivocally rebut all conclusions that I abused or bullied an athlete, and deny any suggestion that I discriminated against an athlete on the basis of race, disability, or sexual orientation,” McIver said. The statement reads: “Not violating team rules, not attending scheduled appointments, misusing resources, or engaging in honest efforts or actions that are inconsistent with individual or team goals. , had and should have had results.
“But those consequences were applied not because of who that person was, but because of what they did or didn’t do, which the team and we worked so hard to maintain. I am an open book about my coaching methods and my management knows and fully approves of my coaching methods.”
McIver is a legend in the sports world, having coached Cal to four NCAA titles in 29 seasons. She also coached the US Women’s at the 2012 London Olympics, where six current, future or former California swimmers won her 13 medals. Six National Swimmers of the Year, including Natalie Coughlin and Missy Franklin, competed for McIver at Cal.In total, her 26 swimmers coached by McIver won a total of 36 of the Olympics won her medals. She won her Pac-12 Coach of the Year award nine times.
