Canadian bobsleigh and skeleton athletes fear their national federation is trying to silence them, saying a clause in their athlete agreement contradicts the principles of practicing sport in a safe environment.
Posted yesterday at 7:34 p.m.
The Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton Athletes’ Agreement for 2022-2023 includes a clause that athletes will not “disclose or transmit to others” any information that paints BCS in a bad light. And the non-disclosure clause remains in effect for six months after the termination or completion of an athlete’s contract.
“It basically draws attention to the very thing that we’re complaining about, that it’s all very one-sided, that they have the power to tell us as athletes that we can’t speak negatively against BCS,” said one. athlete who asked not to be identified for fear of reprisals.
The clause has been in the contract for at least four years, according to several athletes who spoke to The Canadian Press on Monday.
But their fear of retaliation has grown since more than 60 current and former athletes publicly called for the resignation of BCS President Sarah Storey and High Performance Director Chris LeBihan on March 7 amid a backdrop they say the atmosphere is toxic in their sport.
Rob Koehler, chief executive of global athletes’ rights organization Global Athlete, said the clause “is a great example of a federation putting athletes’ rights last”.
“The only way forward is to allow athletes freedom of expression when issues arise,” added Koehler, who is based in Montreal. Every person has a fundamental right to freedom of expression. They are humans first, athletes second. »
The more than 60 athletes who wrote the letter in March grew to more than 90 in the days that followed and were supported by Olympic champion Justin Kripps and bronze medalist Christine de Bruin.
National organizations including Athletics Canada, Canada Basketball and Water Polo Canada told The Canadian Press that they had no such clause in their agreements with athletes.
Boxing Canada has a clause that states that an athlete: “Do not publicly disparage (including through social media) or advance any grievance against Boxing Canada, Boxing Canada staff or coaches, members of the National Team or other HPP (High Performance Program) athletes, except through Boxing Canada’s complaints and appeals policies and dispute resolution procedures provided therein. »
Canadian boxers wrote an open letter to Sport Canada on May 4 calling for a third-party investigation and the resignation of high performance director Daniel Trépanier, saying Boxing Canada cultivates a toxic culture of fear and silence. Trépanier resigned four days after the letter was sent.
Madison Charney, who recently retired as a skeleton athlete, said the BCS athlete agreement leaves no room for negotiation.
“Athletes can’t say, ‘We agree with these sections, [mais] you have to edit those sections before you sign them,” said Charney, who competed at the World Cup for several years but was not named to Canada’s team for the Beijing Olympics.
“It’s different being an amateur athlete versus a professional athlete, where they understand you’re the asset. Our federation does not understand that we are the asset. »
Several bobsleigh and skeleton athletes said little has changed in the three months since their public letter. They said they rejected a proposal from BCS for third-party mediation, after Michelle Simpson was appointed mediator.
Simpson was also the mediator in the Kaillie Humphries v BCS case.
Humphries won two Olympic titles for Canada, but joined the USA team amid a bitter battle against the Canadian federation. She won gold for the United States this year in Beijing.
The BCS Board of Directors said in a statement Monday “working on a process proposed by National Team Athlete Representatives which, at the request of those representatives, requires Bobsleigh Canada Skeleton [en] maintain confidentiality”.
Bobsleigh and skeleton will host national team camps next month in Calgary.
It is therefore in the coming weeks that the athletes will have to sign the agreements, which are also a requirement to receive government funding.