Governing bodies face class-action lawsuit
GYMNASTICS
When Amelia Cline was 12 years old, she alleges her coach, Vladimir Lashin, stretched her leg to the point that her hamstring muscle tore away from the bone.
The former competitive gymnast is the named plaintive in a proposed class-action lawsuit against Gymnastics Canada and six provincial gymnastics federations. The proposed class of plaintiffs claim physical, sexual and/or psychological abuse while participating in programs delivered by those organizations dating back to 1978.
“The defendants caused or contributed to the abuse of gymnasts by creating a culture and an environment where the abuse could occur, and failing to take appropriate steps to protect the athletes in their care and control, many of whom were children when the abuse took place,” said the statement of claim.
Cline, who is now 32, claimed she suffered three years of verbal and physical abuse from Lashin and his wife, Svetlana, at Omega Gymnastics Sports Centre in Coquitlam, B.C.
Legal documents allege that Cline, as a result of the abuse she was subjected to during training, continues to suffer from numerous physical and psychological harm and injuries. Her hamstring injury, through forcible stretching — a common practice in the sport that “would have us in tears and in so much pain,” she said — was the most significant event in her claim.
Her hamstring was already sore that day, she told The Canadian Press.
“(Lashin) said something to the effect ‘Oh, you’re just faking.’ He would often do this partnered stretch where I would be standing in front of him, he would grab my leg from behind and pull it up so I’m in a standing split,” Cline said.
“He grabbed my leg and, more forcibly than he would have normally, just yanked my leg back behind my ear. And when he did that, it snapped my hamstring and took part of my pelvis with it.”
Cline said she was diagnosed with an avulsion fracture, where a small chunk of bone tears away, in her pelvis.
According to the lawsuit filed Wednesday in the Supreme Court of B.C., she experienced a traininginduced seizure, ongoing back and neck injuries and chronic pain, a hamstring avulsion fracture, fractures in a hand, wrist, fingers and toes, chronic knee pain, disordered eating, stunted growth, anxiety, insomnia and nightmares.
Cline said there are as many as 20 class members so far.
Defendants have 21 days to respond.
The action seeks unspecified punitive and aggravated damages, past and future costs of health care services, and an order directing Gymnastics Canada and the provincial bodies to implement, apply and follow appropriate governance procedures to prioritize the physical and psychological health of gymnasts.
“It’s not about money,” said one class member, who asked to remain anonymous.
“It’s about how do we make sure that we protect other athletes and actually have change at the end of the day? Because right now, nobody who has been through any sort of disciplinary process or anything, there’s no reason to hope or believe that without some sort of firm follow-through, that there’s going to be any sort of change.”
None of the allegations have been proven in court.
Neither Gymnastics Canada nor the Omega club immediately responded to requests for comment.
The lawsuit comes after dozens of current and retired gymnasts penned an open letter to Sport Canada about the toxic culture in their sport and asking for a thirdparty investigation.
The letter has grown to over 400 signatories.