Sport Minister: Mechanism for reporting harassment, abuse in place by late spring
CTV
More than 70 Canadian gymnasts are calling on an investigation into what they say is a toxic culture and abusive practices within their sport in the country.
In a story that has caught the eye of U.S. Judge Rosemarie Elizabeth Aquilina, who famously presided over the Larry Nassar sexual abuse case, more than 70 current and former Canadian gymnasts wrote an open letter to Sport Canada on Monday calling for an independent investigation into the toxic culture of their sport.
That number has grown to more than 150.
St-Onge said an independent mechanism for the reporting abuse and harassment will be operational by late spring through the the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada (SDRCC). Sport Canada intends to make the mechanism mandatory for all federally-funded national sport organizations.
"Let me be clear: there is no place for harassment, abuse, discrimination or maltreatment in sports," St-Onge said in the statement. "I want to recognize the courage of the athletes who have come forward."
