The US Center for SafeSport placed Coughlin under restricted eligibility in December without revealing the accusations against him
SKATING champion John Coughlin has reportedly killed himself a day after he was suspended from the sport over abuse allegations.
The US figure-skating champion was mourned by his sister, Angela Laune, on the day his body was found in his father's home.
She wrote on Facebook: “My wonderful, strong, amazingly compassionate brother John Coughlin took his own life earlier today... I have no words.”
The US Center for SafeSport, an organisation that investigates bullying, and physical and sexual abuse in sports, placed Coughlin, 33, under restricted eligibility in December, without revealing the nature of the accusations against him.
SafeSport elevated his limitations to an interim suspension on Thursday.
Coughlin was distraught over the allegations, according to his coach, Dalilah Sappenfield.
She wrote on Facebook: “It was so very difficult for him and all those who loved him to see his name and reputation being dragged through the mud these past few weeks, without any due process.
“He felt alone, lost, and desperate that he no longer had it in him to fight.”
On Friday, police in Coughlin’s hometown of Kansas City, found the two-time national pairs champion dead at his father’s home at 4:54 pm, sergeant Jacob Becchina told The Post.
Coughlin won the pairs championship in 2011 skating alongside Caitlin Yankowskas, and in 2012 with Caydee Denney.
He retired in 2015, but remained a fixture in figure skating as a coach, TV announcer and leader in international skating organisations.
The International Skating Union (ISU) said it was ";shocked" and offered "kindest thoughts" in this "time of sorrow."
Coughlin was chair of the ISU athletes commission and a member of a technical committee."
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