A figure skating coach in southwest suburban Darien raped and inappropriately touched a child athlete several times over two years, a lawsuit filed Monday in Cook County alleges.
In addition to the accused coach, Vearle Klinger, the suit names the owner of the figure skating academy where Klinger worked and the victim attended; two other coaches; the Darien Park District; the Darien Sportsplex; and U.S. Figure Skating, the national governing body for the sport.
“Our minor client was raped by her ice skating coach, and her parents feel as if they were dropping their child off at the lion’s den when they were taking her to practice,” said Allyson West, an attorney with the law firm Hale and Monico.
Klinger did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
For the child’s protection, few details about her are shared in the suit, said Kelly Olivier, the other attorney representing the child and her parents. She was a young minor at the time of the assault and is still underage.
“She was so young, it’s not quite clear that she understood what happened to her,” Olivier said. “As she’s still a minor, she’s still going through it. It’s very clear to us she radiates her trauma, and she’s still processing it.”
The child was allegedly raped once by Klinger in private and then inappropriately touched on several occasions both one-on-one and in front of others. All of the incidents occurred from 2016 to 2018 at the Darien Sportsplex, which is owned and operated by the Darien Park District, according to the lawsuit.
“The family has done everything that they possibly thought to try to protect their daughter at this point,” Olivier said. “They have contacted the police, they’ve contacted the state’s attorney’s office. This lawsuit is essentially their last resort.”
The parents filed a police report in 2021 in DuPage County. The DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office said in 2022 it would not go forward with charges unless corroborating evidence was provided or other victims or witnesses came forward, West said. The family decided to file the lawsuit in Cook County because they’re Cook County residents.
A spokesperson for the DuPage County State’s Attorney’s Office said prosecutors conducted a thorough investigation into the allegations and decided not to pursue charges because they did not think they could prove guilt beyond a reasonable doubt.
The suit also accuses multiple people and organizations of negligence, including Mary Alice Antensteiner, the owner of M.A. Figure Skating Academy, where Klinger worked as a jumping coach. The lawsuit alleges Antensteiner did not properly supervise the coach, failed to ensure the safety of the victim and allowed the coach to have unpermitted time alone with the victim.
Antensteiner declined to comment on the suit and said U.S. Figure Skating looked into the allegations two years ago and has closed its investigation.
Klinger no longer works for the academy, but he is likely still working as a coach, the family’s attorneys said.
The Darien Park District is also accused of failing to keep the Darien Sportsplex safe for athletes and allowing the coach to have unpermitted time alone with the victim.
An attorney for the park district said it will not comment on pending litigation.
“The safety of the patrons and staff are of the utmost importance to the Darien Park District,” the attorney said. “The park district has only recently been made aware of the lawsuit and will be reviewing the allegations.”
The parents also filed a complaint against Klinger and M.A. Figure Skating Academy with U.S. Figure Skating and the U.S. Center for SafeSport last year. An investigation has not concluded, according to the family’s attorneys.
U.S. Figure Skating is also named in the suit for allegedly failing to uphold its own policies for preventing abuse and keeping athletes safe. The governing body certifies coaches and clubs and requires members to follow certain guidelines, including undergoing sexual abuse prevention training.
The two other coaches named in the suit could not immediately be reached for comment.
U.S. Figure Skating issued a written statement, saying, “While we do not address specific cases, U.S. Figure Skating encourages anyone who has been abused or suspects abuse to report it to local law enforcement, the U.S. Center for SafeSport or U.S. Figure Skating.”
This suit is not the first time a sports governing body has been implicated in a sexual abuse case. In 2021, USA Gymnastics and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee settled a $380 million suit involving hundreds of athletes who were sexually abused by Larry Nassar.
