In Siding with Coach, Federal Judge Notes That National Governing Bodies Must Follow Own Rules

A federal judge from the Middle District of Tennessee has denied USA Swimming, Inc.’s motion to dismiss for lack of subject matter jurisdiction the complaint of a disgruntled swim coach, Philip Mark Walker, who had been suspended for life from membership in USA Swimming based on alleged Code of Conduct violations.   In so ruling, the court reasoned that a “determination of federal question jurisdiction is limited to the discrete issue of whether USA Swimming and the arbitrator properly