A federal judge on Monday dismissed some of the claims lodged against the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee by a swimmer who alleges the organization negligently failed to protect him from a fellow athlete’s sexual assaults.

Parker Egbert, who has an intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder, competed in the Tokyo Paralympic Games in 2021. He alleged that while there, and during Egbert’s subsequent stay at the Olympic & Paralympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, teammate Robert Griswold subjected him to “violent abuse and rape.”

Egbert filed suit in federal court, accusing Griswold of assault, battery and infliction of emotional distress. Against the committee, Egbert advanced claims of negligence, fraud, premises liability and conspiracy.

In a Sept. 16 order, U.S. District Court Judge S. Kato Crews addressed the committee’s motion to dismiss several of the claims against it. The committee argued Egbert’s allegations under the Colorado Premises Liability Act nullfied all other claims for injuries he sustained at the training center, which the committee operated. 

The committee also argued there were insufficient allegations of a conspiracy and that it had no “duty to warn” Egbert of any past allegations against Griswold made to the U.S. Center for SafeSport, an investigative body.

“There is no rule, law, or regulation imposing on USOPC a duty to disclose investigative materials to persons not involved in an investigation,” wrote the committee’s lawyers. “Requiring USOPC to disclose such information would open a Pandora’s box of possible problems, including USOPC exposing itself to possible defamation claims, USOPC interfering in SafeSport’s investigative and adjudicatory functions, and the trampling of privacy rights.”

Crews agreed with the committee in part. He found Colorado law foreclosed Egbert from pursuing several theories of negligence related to the training center, but the lawsuit could continue on grounds that the committee allegedly failed to adequately supervise, adequately train its personnel and adequately protect Egbert.

Otherwise, Crews found the committee did not have a duty to warn Egbert about “mere allegations or unconfirmed reports accusing Griswold of criminal behavior.” He also concluded there was no plausible “meeting of the minds” between the committee and SafeSport to cover up prior abuse allegations.

Griswold has not moved to dismiss the claims against him. His lawyers have denied the allegations and asserted other parties, including Egbert, were to blame for any injury.

Griswold “looks forward to his day in Court when he can clear his name of these unfounded accusations,” attorney John Chanin told The Washington Post.

The New York Times reported last month that SafeSport has not yet concluded its own proceedings into Egbert’s abuse claims. The organization’s chief executive told Congress earlier this year that SafeSport was coordinating with the parties in Egbert’s lawsuit to gain access to materials.

Egbert, who is from South Carolina, alleged Griswold began “grooming” him in 2021 and eventually grew to control “all aspects of his life.” The committee represented to his parents that the training center would be a safe environment where Egbert would be protected and supervised. 

But even with knowledge of a prior misconduct allegation against Griswold, the committee allowed him to “train, travel, and live with” Egbert, his attorney wrote.

The case is Egbert v. Griswold et al.