Dave Brubaker, who coached Canada at the 2016 Rio Olympics, was suspended for life by Gymnastics Canada last year following an internal investigation into multiple complaints. He was suspended in 2017 after being arrested and charged with multiple counts of sexual abuse. He was acquitted, but GymCan launched its own investigation after several complaints.
Elizabeth’s wife was suspended from 2019 until 2024.
The Brubakers have denied all charges.
“While no punishment can or will reverse the damage caused by the abuse we suffered as athletes, we are confident that the committee’s decision will serve to protect others and prevent future damage,” the athletes said in a statement.
The 11 athletes – Melanie (Rocca) Hunt, April Nicholls, Alheli Picazo, Abby (Pearson) Spadafora, Alysia Topol, and six others referred to as “Athletes A, B, H, I, J and K” – make up the core team athletes who pushed for research from third parties and testified in the 2020 disciplinary proceedings with Gymnastics Canada.
According to the Bluewater Survivors, so named because Brubaker was the coach and director of Bluewater Gymnastics in Sarnia, OD, a disciplinary decision in March 2021 found 54 categories of offenses, including emotional, psychological, physical and sexual abuse, as a coach. for many years, until the year of Dave Brubaker’s arrest in 2017.
Research process called “harmful and re-victimizing”
The athletes denounced the multi-year research process with Gymnastics Canada as “harmful and re-victimizing”.
“It focused on the victims ‘atrocities, exacerbated the survivors’ trauma and prolonged what was already an endless nightmare.
“This process must not continue as it is.”
Gymnastics Canada confirmed that the Brubakers withdrew their appeals on Friday.
It’s a bit of good news in a sport that is full of allegations of abuse. More than 400 current and former coaches and coaches have signed an open letter to Sport Canada asking for a third-party inquiry into their sport, a story that caught the attention of US referee Rosemarie Aquilina, who sentenced Larry Nassar to life in prison for scandal. sexual abuse in the U.S. gym in which hundreds of girls and women were involved.
More than 8 NSOs face charges
Pascale St-Onge said that since she was appointed Minister of Sports of Canada almost six months ago, more than eight national sports organizations have faced charges of everything from sexual abuse to misuse of funds, including rowing, rugby and bobsleigh / skeleton. . “We are moving forward and the steady completion of this process marks the beginning of an opportunity for true healing, individually and collectively,” wrote Bluewater Survivors. “We are regaining our strength and our voices and we will use both to support change and responsibility. We will tell our truths – the truth – over time and work to ensure that future generations of athletes, regardless of the level of skills or sport of our choice, we save what we were not “. St-Onge has accelerated a third-party mechanism within the Canadian Center for Sports Dispute Resolution (SDRCC) to hear allegations of abuse. Vowed to run until late spring and last week, former swimmer artist Sarah-Eve Pelletier was named Canada’s first sports integrity commissioner.
