I am generally good about considering the world being shades of grey and I don't need to like or hate all aspects of a given person, and should be able to step back and accept a person's positive attributes while not supporting his negative ones.
On the coaching front though, I have difficulty separating Sutton's technical capabilities specific to triathlon from his moral/role model responsibilities as a coach in stewarding athletes, specific young impressionable ones over which he has great influence, who may not be able to exercise full adult judgement themselves. For a coach, both go hand in hard. Obviously many are able to make that separation, but perhaps for me, since my largest coaching role is with young impressionable athletes, I just can't get past it. Yesterday, I was on skis with 9 teenage girls of the exact age bracket that Sutton preyed on. Just the thought of him being on the field with us at the same time was really hard to deal with.
He may have moved on and reformed as a person, but like a doctor or a teacher, or a psychologist with a professional designation, if you use your position to transgress the confidence of those whose care you are been entrusted with, then you are removed from the profession. In my view, coaches need to be held to the same standard. No second chances.
On the coaching front though, I have difficulty separating Sutton's technical capabilities specific to triathlon from his moral/role model responsibilities as a coach in stewarding athletes, specific young impressionable ones over which he has great influence, who may not be able to exercise full adult judgement themselves. For a coach, both go hand in hard. Obviously many are able to make that separation, but perhaps for me, since my largest coaching role is with young impressionable athletes, I just can't get past it. Yesterday, I was on skis with 9 teenage girls of the exact age bracket that Sutton preyed on. Just the thought of him being on the field with us at the same time was really hard to deal with.
He may have moved on and reformed as a person, but like a doctor or a teacher, or a psychologist with a professional designation, if you use your position to transgress the confidence of those whose care you are been entrusted with, then you are removed from the profession. In my view, coaches need to be held to the same standard. No second chances.