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Top skating coach suspended nearly 20 years after allegations

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A celebrated figure-skating coach has been suspended nearly 20 years after male skaters first leveled sexual misconduct allegations against him.

Richard Callaghan, who coached Olympic gold medalist Tara Lipinski, was suspended by the U.S. Figure Skating Committee and the watchdog group U.S. Center for SafeSport amid a new investigation.

Callaghan did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Friday afternoon. SafeSport does not comment on pending investigations and the nature of the current complaint against him is unknown.

Image: Ladies figure skater Tara Lipinski with her coach Richard Callaghan Image: Ladies figure skater Tara Lipinski with her coach Richard Callaghan

Tara Lipinski with her coach Richard Callaghan after she won the gold medal at the U.S. Figure Skating Championships in 1997. Cliff Schiappa / AP file

Craig Maurizi, a skater who worked with Callaghan for two decades, accused the renowned coach of inappropriate sexual conduct with him beginning when he was 15 years old, according to The New York Times.

Maurizi filed a complaint against Callaghan with the U.S. Figure Skating Association in 1999, but that grievance was dismissed. NBC News has reached out to the lawyer who represented Callaghan in 1999.

Eddy Zeidler, another former student, alleged that Callaghan exposed himself to him in a hotel room in 1992, according to The Times.

Callaghan is best known for coaching Lipinski, helping her nab Olympic gold in 1998 along with other prestigious titles.

The suspension comes as the Olympic community is grappling with criticism over the handling of sexual misconduct allegations against coaches and other authority figures.

Larry Nassar, the former team doctor of USA Gymnastics, was sentenced to effective life terms earlier this year after more than 200 former patients accused him of molesting them.