US Fencing Association, Coach Must Defend Abuse Case in Court

The US Fencing Association, a coach, and his fencing club lost a bid to compel arbitration of claims that the coach sexually abused a student.

USA Fencing, Robert Piraino, and Music City Fencing Club Inc. must defend the claims in federal court because they “waived their putative right to arbitrate by acting in a manner wholly inconsistent with that right,” Judge Aleta A. Trauger of the US District Court for the Middle District of Tennessee said.

The defendants cited an arbitration agreement in the association’s membership contract, which students are required to sign annually. But they waived the argument ...