The retired two-time world champion swimmer, Ariana Kukors Smith, is suing USA Swimming alleging the sport's national governing body knew that her former coach, Sean Hutchinson, sexually abused her as a minor and covered it up.

Kukors Smith, 28, said that Hutchison groomed her for sexual abuse when she was 13, started touching and kissing her when she was 16, and engaged in sexual activity with her when she was 17.

Hutchison, the 2008 US Olympic team's assistant coach, has denied the allegations which emerged earlier this year and has not been charged with a crime.

The case marks another sex abuse scandal for USA Swimming, which also faced allegations in 2010, and comes after USA Gymnastics sports doctor Larry Nassar was found guilty of sexually abusing more than 300 athletes.

"Organisations like USA Swimming have long been in a position to deter, detect and discipline sexual abuse and have done little or nothing to do such in an effort to protect their public image. By doing nothing, it enabled Sean Hutchison to abuse me for a decade. During that decade, he stole many things from me, including my swimming career, my college experience, friendships, my virginity and ultimately my Olympic dream," Ariana Kukors Smith said.