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Think tank focused on child sex abuse asks U.S. Olympic team to drop Stan Bowman

A think tank focused on studying child sexual abuse and prevention has formally requested that the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee suspend Stan Bowman from his position as general manager of the American Olympic men's hockey team, according to TSN's Rick Westhead.

Bowman, who is also the GM of the NHL's Chicago Blackhawks, is currently facing allegations that he helped cover up the sexual abuse of two Blackhawks players by former video coach Brad Aldrich in 2010.

In a Sept. 10 letter sent to USOPC boss Sarah Hirshland, the founder of Child USA wrote:

“I write to you today to request the suspension of Stan Bowman from his position as general manager of the U.S. Olympic men’s hockey team and that an independent investigation into Bowman’s behaviour in his role as general manager of hockey operations of the Blackhawks NHL team be conducted.”

A think tank focused on child sexual abuse and prevention is asking the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee to suspend Stan Bowman from his position as USA hockey Olympic GM. (Getty)
A think tank focused on child sexual abuse and prevention is asking the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee to suspend Stan Bowman from his position as USA Hockey Olympic GM. (Getty)

Westhead and TSN were provided a copy of the letter, which was also sent to USOPC board members and several key executives. Westhead writes that Marci Hamilton, founder of Child USA, said in an interview last Saturday that she "decided to engage in the Blackhawks’ scandal because she sees it as evidence of a repeated pattern."

“This is the paradigm we keep seeing,” Hamilton said, per Westhead. “Not only do we have a perpetrator, but powerful institutions are essentially ignoring the fact that they have an abuser in their midst. This isn’t just a church or a boy scout problem. It’s a societal problem and this is a great example of that.”

Spokespersons for the Blackhawks and USA Hockey did not respond to requests for comment, according to Westhead. Copies of the three-page letter were also reportedly sent to a pair U.S. Senators — Richard Blumenthal and Jerry Moran — who recently led an 18-month investigation into systemic abuse within various factions of the U.S. Olympic program.

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