Marcel Aubut, former president of the Canadian Olympic Committee, resigned last September after he was subject of a sexual harassment complaint. A subsequent investigation found a majority of COC employees reported “experiencing or witnessing harassment (both sexual and personal) during the president’s tenure.”Peter Power/The Globe and Mail
The Canadian Olympic Committee's failure to deal adequately with sexual harassment complaints has caused a crisis on the same level as the 1988 Ben Johnson doping scandal, says Canada's chef de mission for the Summer Games in Rio.
In an interview, former moguls skier and Olympic champion Jean-Luc Brassard decried what he called a "cult of silence" at the COC after the departure of president Marcel Aubut. A prominent Quebec City lawyer who wanted to transform the COC into a sporting empire, Mr. Aubut resigned last September after he was subject of a sexual harassment complaint.
A subsequent investigation found a majority of COC employees reported "experiencing or witnessing harassment (both sexual and personal) during the president's tenure." The COC has yet to explain who in upper echelons of the organization knew what about the unacceptable behaviour, and why it was allowed to go unchecked for years.
"Someone has to explain what happened during those four or five years, and why no one reacted to all of the red lights," Mr. Brassard said, adding that several women informally complained to the COC over the years.
Mr. Brassard said the episode was "one of the worst periods" in Canada's Olympic history, and the only equivalent would be Mr. Johnson's fall from grace after he won the 100-metre sprint at the Seoul Summer Games.
Mr. Brassard is a key member of the Canadian delegation heading to Brazil in August. He is one of the most prominent people to speak out about the situation, raising the pressure on the COC to offer greater accountability for the Aubut era.
The new COC president, former Olympian Tricia Smith, said she spoke to Mr. Brassard on Friday and said they have mutual trust in their ability to do their jobs. She added she has already introduced reforms.
"We've taken the steps that so far we need to take, in terms of making sure our staff is safe, the workplace is healthy. If more steps need to be taken, they will be taken," she said.
Ms. Smith apologized on behalf of the COC last month when she unveiled the findings of the investigation into allegations of harassment. A few days later, the COC parted company with its chief sport officer, Caroline Assalian, and two other officials.
As chef de mission, Mr. Brassard said he needs to "take care of athletes, but also staff and volunteers." He said recent conversations have convinced him many women still feel vulnerable and angry. "Yes, there were layoffs, but that is a Band-Aid on the problem. It's not a solution," he said. "Like a lot of people, I felt the apology from the president of the board provided a sense of relief, but did not resolve everything."
He added the crisis has raised questions about the COC's commitment to its core values.
"The values of the Olympic movement are those of respect, integrity, confidence and, yes, transparency," he said. "Those values are observed by the athletes in the Canadian delegation, but they were obviously not taken into account by the leadership, which nonetheless used them in their search for new sponsors. This is the dichotomy that has to be explained."
Mr. Brassard said Chris Overholt, CEO of the COC, has spoken to staff of the COC about his time alongside Mr. Aubut, but needs to be more direct in his comments. "Some of those employees have told me that the air has yet to be cleared, there are still questions that need to be answered," Mr. Brassard said. Mr. Overholt has not responded to requests for comment.
Olympic gold-winning triathlete Simon Whitfield said he feels the organization has addressed its problems and needs to move on. "I don't know why we would continue to focus on something that's very much about one individual," he said.
The COC board is meeting on the weekend. John Furlong, former boss of the Vancouver Olympic organizing committee, said the gathering will offer a key opportunity to address concerns.
"Every so often, you do need renewal. Look at what's going on out in the world today, in cycling, in tennis, in football [soccer]. This could be a chance to really be a shining example," he said.
With a report from Sean Gordon in Montreal
David Ebner