Swimmer: My Swim Coach Made Me Wear a Dog Collar at Practice
Also this week on Brian Ross Investigates: Naomi Campbell, drug cartel tactics.
August 13, 2010— -- On this week's episode of "Brian Ross Investigates," ABC News Chief Investigative Correspondent Brian Ross speaks with former Olympic hopeful Jancy Thompson, who filed the fifth sexual misconduct lawsuit against USA Swimming in a sex abuse scandal that continues to escalate.
Thompson, now 28, tells Ross her California swim coach began to abuse her at age 15.
"He told me that he could give me the recipe to being an Olympics swimmer, so I trusted him that he wouldn't hurt me, that he would take me to the Olympics," Thompson, who entered law enforcement after quitting swimming, tells Ross. "So what he said was what I believed, and I didn't know any better."
Her coach even humiliated her at practice by making her wear a dog collar with a leash attached to it, which her coach held while she swam laps at the pool, Thompson says.
Thompson and her attorney Robert Allard call for leadership change at USA Swimming, saying the nation's governing body of the sport has not fulfilled its promise to implement better athlete protection measures.
"They've had their chance," Allard tells Ross. "The response uniformly to these complaints has been to keep it confidential and to not reach out to the victims."
CLICK HERE FOR THE FULL INVESTIGATION INTO THE USA SWIMMING SEX ABUSE SCANDAL.
Also on this week's show, Ross takes viewers inside the bizarre saga of supermodel Naomi Campbell and the blood diamonds from a dictator she tried to lie about.
And ABC News Senior Investigative Reporter Richard Esposito joins Ross in the New York studios to discuss new violent tactics of Mexico's ruthless drug cartels previously seen in Iraq: car bombs. Tune in to find out why Americans could be in danger.
"Brian Ross Investigates" is a weekly 30-minute investigative news magazine show that features exclusive interviews, undercover videos and extended investigations and story updates.
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This week is the 19th episode of "Brian Ross Investigates." All shows are archived on Hulu for viewing.