Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said Gymnastics Canada must be concerned about reassuring parents across the country about the safety of the sport.
Trudeau answered a question this morning about the possible suspension of funding from Gymnastics Canada.
Sports Minister Pascale St-Onge told The Canadian Press that she will suspend funding for the sports organization until it adheres to the policies of the new Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner. (BCIS). St-Onge recently suspended funding to Hockey Canada following explosive revelations surrounding the handling of a sexual assault complaint and its out-of-court settlement.
While in Prince Edward Island on Friday, Trudeau said he had spoken several times in recent weeks with the sports minister’s office about the unacceptable conduct of some national sports federations.
St-Onge is calling on all national sports organizations to adhere to the policies of the new BCIS, which began receiving complaints of abuse in sport on June 20.
More than 500 Canadian gymnasts on Thursday called on Canada’s sport minister to freeze funding to their national sports organization.
In a public letter to Ms. St-Onge on Thursday — and after four months of “sharing devastating stories” of years of abuse — “Gymnasts for Change,” a group that represents 508 athletes, reiterates its calls for strict measures.
This includes a third party investigation and suspension of funding, as was done with Hockey Canada.
Their initial request, made several months ago, the group says, was ignored by Gymnastics Canada (GymCan), Sport Canada and “now by your office, and to the great detriment of child gymnasts across the country.”
This letter comes a week after a trainer in Lethbridge, Alta., was charged with sexually assaulting a seven-year-old girl.