An American paralympic swimmer has accused his teammate, Robert Griswold, of sexually assaulting him. The alleged victim, 19-year-old Parker Egbert, filed a lawsuit against Griswold, claiming he “maliciously” groomed him before raping him. Egbert’s suit also includes the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee and U.S. Center for SafeSport, accusing the committees of being “complicit” in allowing the abuse. The lawsuit describes Egbert as autistic, having “suffered from developmental delay and intellectual disability for his entire life.” Griswold, 25, is also accused of trying to convince Egbert’s parents to limit his access to technology in an effort “to exert extreme control over” him. “This case is a horrific tragedy, where a young man who defied all odds to become a world-class Paralympic swimmer had his life utterly shattered by rape and abuse when he was paired with a team member who was a violent sexual predator,” the lawsuit says. The U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee said in a statement that the allegations are “extremely concerning” and they have opened an investigation, as well as placing two staff members on administrative leave.
