Tennis Hall of Fame probes claims of sex abuse by doubles legend
Tennis Hall of Fame probes claims of sex abuse by doubles legend
The International Tennis Hall of Fame has begun an
investigation into claims of sexual abuse by one of its members, doubles
legend Bob Hewitt, the organization's executive director said on
Tuesday.
The decision signalled a reversal by the Newport, Rhode
Island-based organization, which abandoned earlier plans to investigate
the allegations, made by several women, and said it would focus instead
on forging a policy to deal with such issues.
The Hall of Fame hired the New England law firm of
Hinckley, Allen & Snyder to conduct an inquiry and report back to
its executive committee, said Mark Stenning, the organization's chief
executive.
The Hall of Fame became aware of the allegations,
including charges that Hewitt sexually abused and harassed young women
he taught years ago in the United States and South Africa, when they
were reported by The Boston Globe last year, he said.
A former federal prosecutor, Michael Connolly, is
handling the investigation and "talking with a number of people who are
situated all over the world," Stenning said.
"We don't have an exact date of completion, but we hope
it will be very soon," he said. "At that point, the executive committee
will decide whether any action should be taken against Mr. Hewitt."
Hewitt, 72, a top-ranked tennis player in the 1960s and
1970s, was born in Australia and later became a resident of South
Africa, according to the Hall of Fame's website.
He won men's or mixed doubles titles at all four major
tennis championships, including Wimbledon, the U.S. and French opens,
and the Australian Championship, the site said.
A woman quoted as saying Hewitt had sex with her in the
1970s when she was 15 did not immediately respond to a phone message
seeking comment. A telephone number for Hewitt could not be found.
Stenning, the Hall of Fame chief executive, said: "In
hindsight, we could have handled it much more swiftly ... Within the
last few weeks we decided an inquiry was the right thing to do."
