A former U.S. Olympic fencer and ex-coach at Long Island University received a six-year probation sentence this week after admitting to two misdemeanor sex offenses.
Ivan Lee faced separate cases in Brooklyn and Nassau County.
He was arrested in Brooklyn on February 26, 2024, in relation to one case and was taken into custody again in Nassau County on March 21, 2024.
The first incident reportedly took place on November 8, 2023, at the university’s gymnasium on its Brooklyn campus.
During this incident, Lee, 44, allegedly made unwanted physical contact with a woman, touching her chest and kissing her neck while she was alone.
The second incident occurred on November 21, 2023, when Lee took the same woman to a seafood restaurant after practice, where he reportedly squeezed her breasts without consent.
Kings County Criminal Court accepted a conditional plea that requires Lee to participate in a court-mandated treatment program. The guilty plea for second-degree harassment remains unchanged.
This second charge is classified as a non-criminal offense in New York.
Lee has been sentenced to six years on probation, during which he must also register with the sex offender program.
He pleaded guilty to one count of sexual abuse and one count of forced touching in these incidents.
The court has issued protective orders for the woman in both cases.
Lee was inducted into the US Fencing Hall of Fame in 2014 but subsequently lost his membership.
Additionally, the US Safe Sports Center has imposed a lifetime ban on Lee, curtailing his coaching abilities.
This organization, established by the US Congress, aims to safeguard athletes involved in Olympic sports.
The female victim’s attorney stated that the court’s ruling sends a strong message to those involved in sexual abuse within the fencing community, asserting that no one is above the law.
Lee is a five-time national champion and competed for Team USA in the 2004 Athens Summer Olympics. He also won two gold medals at the Pan American Games in 2003.
According to his biography on Long Island University’s website, Lee was brought on to coach the women’s fencing team but resigned from the position in December 2023.
Furthermore, he served with the NYPD from 2008 to 2022.
