Figure skating group alleges abuse at Burnaby training centre
CTV
A Metro Vancouver woman who trained to be a figure skater as a child told CTV News she was a victim of abuse for many years.
A Metro Vancouver woman who trained to be a figure skater as a child told CTV News she was a victim of abuse for many years.
She is part of a group called Figure Skating for Change Canada, who have penned an open letter to Skate Canada and the Minister of Sport urging change.
CTV News has agreed not to reveal her identity because she is still a professional in the sport and fears retribution. We are calling her Skater A.
“For me it was physical, verbal, emotional and psychological,” said Skater A.
The letter alleges abuse by coaches at Champs International Skating Centre of B.C. in Burnaby. They include claims of unsafe training, being pushed and shoved, slander, bribery, body-shaming and being locked in a dressing room.
“The turmoil of the Canadian sports system has been an ongoing news story for over a year and sadly, we know our letter today will not be ‘new’ news,” the letter reads.
As a child, Skater A said she believed it was just something she had to endure to be part of the sport.
