7 May (UPI) –Kylie McKenzie, a 25-year-old former tennis prodigy, has ordered the United States Tennis Association to pay her $9 million because the organization neglected to protect her from sexual abuse at its training center in Florida.
After less than three hours of deliberation on Monday, a federal jury found in McKenzie’s favor, awarding $3 million in compensatory damages and $6 million in punitive damages for USTA’s attempts to silence the 19-year-old McKenzie.
As she attempts to resurrect her tennis career, McKenzie said, “I feel validated,” to The Athletic on Monday. “It was really difficult, but in the end, I think it was all worthwhile. I want to set a good example for other girls by speaking up even in difficult situations.”
Before suspending and eventually terminating coach Anibal Aranda, who was 34 years old at the time and denied sexually touching the tennis player, the USTA looked into McKenzie’s claims in 2018. The lawsuit claims that the USTA concealed the fact that Aranda had abused one of their staff members years prior.
The USTA declared it would file an appeal in reaction to Monday’s decision, claiming the organization fired the coach promptly and showed compassion for McKenzie’s anguish.
The USTA was held accountable by the court due to the fact that one of its staff members, who was not an athlete, had a duty to notify the USTA of her personal encounter with the coach. This incident remained unreported until the coach was fired by the USTA. According to USTA spokesman Chris Widmaier, “This creates a new and unreasonable expectation for victims, one that will deter them from coming forward in the future.”
Even though McKenzie informed the police and USTA that Aranda had made physical contact in 2018, she chose not to press charges.
According to The New York Times, after conducting an investigation, the U.S. Center for SafeSport concluded that there was “more likely than not” that Aranda touched McKenzie when she was being shown a serving method at the USTA training facility.
After a USTA coach attempted to quiet McKenzie’s account and advised her to inform others that she had been ill, McKenzie filed the complaint. She claimed that as a result of the experience, she had sadness, panic attacks, and anxiety.
“They don’t put athletes first,” stated Robert Allard, a McKenzie lawyer and supporter of athletes who have experienced sexual abuse.
“There needs to be a complete change in the organization so victims are not silenced but encouraged to come forward.”
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