Curl Pleads Guilty To Sex Abuse

Rick Curl, a former swim coach who trained Olympic athletes and founded a prominent Washington, DC-area swim club, pleaded guilty Thursday to sex abuse, The Washington Post reports.

Curl is accused of having a sexual relationship with his former swim student, Kelley Currin, in the 1980s, when Currin was a teenager and Curl was in his 30s.

Currin and Curl both appeared in court Thursday, The Post reports.

Curl, 63, has stepped down from his position at the Curl-Burke Swim Club, now known as the Nation's Capital Swim Club, and has been banned from USA Swimming.

The relationship allegedly began at North Bethesda's Georgetown Preparatory School, where the club leased the pool.

Curl faces a maximum sentence of 15 years in prison. A sentencing is set for May 23.