Investigation finds allegations of sexual assault against former Penn rowing coach credible

A 16-month investigation into allegations of sexual abuse against former Pennsylvania University rowing coach Ted Nash has found compelling evidence to support filmmaker Jennifer Fox’s abuse allegations.

Fox, an award-winning filmmaker, claimed she was sexually abused by Nash when she was 13. A report summarizing a pro bono investigation — which includes interviews with 47 people and an analysis of the key evidence — concluded that the investigation found no motive for Fox to target Nash, nor did it find any evidence to disprove her allegations. Rather, the investigation “corroborated many of her allegations,” according to The New York Times.

A university spokesperson referred The Daily Pennsylvanian to Penn Athletics for comment.

“We have taken this matter seriously from the beginning and are carefully reviewing the report commissioned by US Rowing,” Penn Athletics wrote in a statement to the DP.

After the results of the investigation were announced, Fox told the DP that she was “so relieved and pleased that the matter had been thoroughly investigated, no stone had been left unturned and they had seen that I had told the truth.”

“This is a huge relief for me and I really hope it can help other women,” she added.

On March 20, 2023, Fox revealed in The New York Times that Nash – who coached women’s and men’s rowing at Penn from 1965 to 1983 after winning two Olympic medals – was her tormentor. In 2013, Penn honored him with the dedication of its indoor rowing center, the Coach Ted A. Nash Land Rowing Center. After Nash’s name was made public, Fox urged Penn to change the center’s name in an interview with The Daily Pennsylvanian.

“My goal is to have Nash’s name removed from everywhere, not just at Penn, but everywhere,” Fox said at the time. “I think damaging his legacy is a huge blow to Ted Nash and all the other abusers out there.”

Two days after Fox’s request that the university remove Nash’s name from the rowing center, the DP reported that the sign at the entrance to the rowing center had been covered with a black tarp, obscuring the entire name.

“We are deeply saddened by this highly disturbing news,” Penn Athletics wrote in a statement to the DP at the time. “Our thoughts are with Jennifer Fox and others who have been similarly victims of sexual abuse.”

In light of the findings of the new report, Fox again called for Nash’s name to be permanently removed from all memorials to him in Pennsylvania, including the rowing center, because otherwise there would be “no justice.”

“Penn needs to publicly take its name off the rolling wing, and I don’t want it to take 10 years,” Fox said. “We need to make it clear that this is not acceptable … and I think Penn students can really make a difference here and call for action.”

According to an April 30 statement from USRowing, Fox contacted the organization in late 2022 with the allegations against Nash – a past recipient of several USRowing awards, including Man of the Year in 2005 and the USRowing Medal of Honor in 2013. When USRowing learned of the allegations, it hired law firm A&O Shearman to conduct a strictly non-legal investigation over a 16-month period.

In response to the report’s findings, USRowing revoked all honors the organization had previously given to Nash and stated that it would no longer consider him for future awards. Whether Nash will be stripped of his Olympic medals remains unclear.

“While we understand this outcome may be difficult for some members of our community, our commitment to a safe, abusive environment for the rowing community is unwavering,” the statement said. “In addition, we encourage any other organizations associated with Mr. Nash who may have bestowed similar honors on him to review the full report.”

“We want to commend Ms. Fox for having the courage to come forward and share her experiences,” USRowing’s statement said. “In addition, we want to express our gratitude to all of the individuals who participated in this investigation despite the personal challenges and emotional discomfort it may have caused. Listening, supporting and acting on survivors’ accounts are essential steps toward building a society where survivors are heard, believed and respected.”

USRowing has released the full 154-page report from law firm A&O Shearman “in the interest of complete transparency and the safety of our sport for all current and future rowers.” The report comes with a sensitive content warning because it “contains detailed accounts of sexual misconduct and abuse of minors that may provoke strong emotional reactions, particularly in individuals who have experienced sexual trauma.”

The final report also includes excerpts from the September 19, 1983, issue of DP, which featured an article about Nash’s resignation following a week-long strike by the Penn heavyweight rowing team. Sources close to the team reported at the time that the strike was due to problems with Nash’s “program management and coaching techniques.”

“My message to the world and to the perpetrators is: We may not get you in life, but even your legacy can be ruined,” Fox told DP. “And for a man like Ted Nash, legacy was everything.”