USA Swimming: Major Progress Since Abuse Scandal Two years after a shocking sexual abuse scandal, USA Swimming has banned 16 people for life as part of a wide-ranging program that stepped up training and led to enhanced background checks for nearly 36,000 coaches, officials and volunteers. Susan Woessner, the governing body's director of safe sport, said Friday that swimming has turned a corner since numerous coaches were found to have had inappropriate relationships with underage swimmers. At the height of the scandal, USA Swimming grudgingly revealed 46 members had been given lifetime bans, including the former director of the national team. Since then, the organization has instituted a program it calls a model for all sports. Woessner says the additional lifetime bans "may not be the most comfortable thing to know" but show the new program is working.