The George Morris settlement case today remains unresolved: no settlement has been reached in any of the civil suits filed against the former U.S. Olympic equestrian coach, and on February 19, 2026, a New York appellate court cleared the central sexual battery claim to move forward. Morris’s SafeSport lifetime ban, issued in 2019, still stands. He denies the allegations.
What the February 2026 Appellate Ruling Did
The Appellate Division of the New York Supreme Court issued its decision in the case brought by an accuser identified as AG1 Doe. The court affirmed the lower court’s refusal to dismiss the sexual battery claim, which is the core of the lawsuit. It dismissed a separate negligence count against Morris, holding that “there is no such thing as ‘negligent assault'” and that the cause of action had not been adequately pleaded.1FindLaw. AG1 Doe v. The United States Equestrian Federation, Inc., et al.
Morris’s attorneys had asked the appellate court to throw out the case on constitutional grounds, arguing that New York’s Child Victims Act violated his rights to due process and equal protection when applied to conduct alleged more than four decades earlier. The court rejected both arguments.1FindLaw. AG1 Doe v. The United States Equestrian Federation, Inc., et al. The practical effect is that the sexual battery claims will proceed toward trial unless the parties reach a resolution first.
The Civil Lawsuits Still on the Docket
Two lawsuits were filed against Morris in Manhattan Supreme Court on August 5, 2020, under the Child Victims Act, which had temporarily lifted the statute of limitations for survivors of childhood sexual abuse in New York.2Chronicle of the Horse. Sex Abuse Survivors File Suit Against Morris, USEF and Flintridge Both are still active.
Jonathan Soresi, a New Jersey horse trainer, alleges that Morris began sexually assaulting him around 1972 or 1973, when Soresi was 16. The complaint describes assaults at horse shows in Pennsylvania, Ohio, and New York, and says Morris used his prominence in the sport, along with promises of mentorship and access to top horses, to gain access to him. Soresi says the abuse continued after he began working as Morris’s assistant around 1975.3New York Post. US Equestrian George Morris Sexually Abused Two Teens2Chronicle of the Horse. Sex Abuse Survivors File Suit Against Morris, USEF and Flintridge
The second accuser, AG1 Doe, alleges that Morris raped him in April 1978 at a riding clinic at the Topping Riding Club in Sagaponack, New York, when he was a teenager. According to the complaint, Morris entered his motel room, pinned him down, and forcibly raped him.3New York Post. US Equestrian George Morris Sexually Abused Two Teens The Topping Riding Club is named as a co-defendant in that action.4Dressage News. Sexual Abuse Lawsuits Filed in New York Against George Morris
A third, related suit was filed the same day in California against a different trainer, Jimmy Williams, along with the USEF and the Flintridge Riding Club.2Chronicle of the Horse. Sex Abuse Survivors File Suit Against Morris, USEF and Flintridge
Which Organizations Are on the Hook
The plaintiffs have not confined their claims to Morris personally. The U.S. Equestrian Federation is named as a co-defendant in the Soresi suit on theories of negligence and negligent supervision. In 2021, the accusers’ attorneys added the USA Equestrian Trust Inc. as a defendant across all three lawsuits, arguing that both the USEF and the USA Equestrian Trust are legal successors to the American Horse Shows Association, which governed the sport during the years the alleged abuse took place.5Chronicle of the Horse. USA Equestrian Trust Added to Sexual Misconduct Suits; Judge Rules Morris Accuser May Remain Anonymous
The corporate history matters here. The AHSA renamed itself “USA Equestrian” in 2001. In 2003 it merged with the United States Equestrian Team to form the USEF, and the USA Equestrian Trust split off that same year as a separate nonprofit. The USEF has said it is not the successor to the AHSA and has declined to comment on the pending litigation. The USA Equestrian Trust also declined to comment when it was served.5Chronicle of the Horse. USA Equestrian Trust Added to Sexual Misconduct Suits; Judge Rules Morris Accuser May Remain Anonymous
The SafeSport Lifetime Ban Behind the Litigation
The civil suits followed a separate administrative action. On August 5, 2019, the U.S. Center for SafeSport published a permanent suspension of Morris, the most severe sanction it can impose. The finding was for “sexual misconduct involving a minor,” and Morris himself said the allegations concerned events between 1968 and 1972.6The New York Times. George Morris Equestrian Banned7ABC News. US Olympic Equestrian Team Coach George Morris Banned A SafeSport spokesperson said the permanent-suspension designation is “reserved for the most egregious cases.”
Morris appealed through SafeSport’s independent arbitration process, and the ban was upheld.8World of Showjumping. George H. Morris Banned for Life by the US Center for SafeSport The USEF enforced it domestically, and the Fédération Equestre Internationale reciprocated, cutting off Morris’s ability to coach any national team internationally.9Chronicle of the Horse. George Morris SafeSport Arbitration Held in New York Then–SafeSport CEO Ju’Riese Colón said at the time: “No matter how big a figure is in their sport, or how old the allegations, nobody is above accountability.”
Where Things Stand
As of mid-2026, no public settlement has been announced in any of the civil suits against Morris or the equestrian organizations named alongside him. The sexual battery claims in the New York cases remain active following the February 2026 appellate decision, and Morris continues to deny the accusations. The lifetime ban is unchanged.