Canada’s Sports Minister Pascale St-Onge pledges to set up an independent mechanism to report abuse in sport, amid a growing chorus of athlete voices demanding change.
In the wake of a story that caught the attention of U.S. Judge Rosemarie Elizabeth Aquilina, who presided over the Larry Nassar sexual assault case, more than 70 current and former Canadian gymnasts have sent an open letter to Sport Canada on Monday, calling for an independent investigation into the toxic culture of their sport.
That number has jumped to over 150.
Pascale St-Onge said an independent assault and harassment reporting mechanism will be operational by late spring through the Sport Dispute Resolution Center of Canada (SDRCC). Sport Canada intends to make the mechanism mandatory for all federally funded national sport organizations.
“Let’s be clear: there is no place for harassment, abuse, discrimination or mistreatment in sport,” the minister said in the statement. I want to acknowledge the courage of the athletes who came forward. »
Gymnastics is notorious for its histories of assault. Nassar is serving a life sentence after sexually assaulting dozens of young women and girls under the guise of medical treatment.
In a statement released Tuesday, Justice Aquilina said she strongly encourages Sport Canada to launch a third-party investigation. “The importance of allowing 150 women and girls, who were abused by Larry Nassar and USA Gymnastics executives, to present personal testimony about their assaults cannot be understated,” Judge Aquilina said in a statement. Athletes and victims must be heard, must be believed and must be protected…True leaders will accept the truth and use it to protect innocent victims of abuse in sport. »
Toxic environment
Canadian gymnasts say complaints of psychological, physical and even sexual abuse of athletes, many of them minors, are widespread in their sport.
“When you grow up in that kind of toxic environment, it has lasting effects on your life,” retired rhythmic gymnast Rosie Cossar noted to The Canadian Press. These are stages of development where you have no sense of identity or trust or what is right and wrong. You are extremely vulnerable. »
Cossar, a 2012 Olympian and former team captain, said she documented and reported to Gymnastics Canada (GymCan) numerous incidents of abuse she witnessed.
In their letter to Sport Canada, the athletes said fear of reprisal had kept them from speaking out for nearly a decade. “However, we can no longer sit in silence,” they wrote. We share our experiences of abuse, neglect and discrimination in hopes of bringing about change. »
This initiative by the gymnasts adds to the growing chorus of complaints from athletes in bobsleigh and skeleton, rowing, rugby, track and field, artistic swimming, wrestling and women’s soccer.
Pascale St-Onge has called for a financial audit of Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton after a similar letter signed by more than 90 athletes called for the resignation of their national sport organization’s interim president and high performance director.
“Sports organizations, coaches and athletes have highlighted the need for an independent mechanism for athletes to report cases of abuse,” continued the Minister of Sport. The open letter [de lundi] reminds us that we must act to create a culture change in sport at all levels. »