A Sherbrooke figure skating coach was suspended by Skate Canada Monday for a year for misconduct.
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Marie-Christine Grenier, who has been teaching figure skating to children and teenagers at the Sherbrooke Artistic Skating Club (CPA) for the last few days, was added to the list of suspended people yesterday.
“I’m very surprised,” said Lucie Bouffard, one of the people in charge of the CPA, with emotion. She is also the mother of the suspended coach.
“The case is in the hands of the lawyers, that’s all I can say,” she added.
Ms Bouffard nonetheless confirmed on Tuesday afternoon that the organization would update athletes and parents on the coach’s suspension in the hours that followed.
accused acts
According to our information, an investigation has been conducted and people in the skate community have been questioned about Ms. Grenier’s practices over the past few weeks. However, the nature of the misconduct could not be determined at this time.
Although Skate Canada boasts that it maintains an up-to-date list of expelled and suspended coaches, the organization does not inform its members or the media of the nature of the wrongdoing. It is not clear whether the alleged actions took place in the arena, in the context of training or competition. The organization also does not give details of the investigation.
Skate Canada was reached by email on Tuesday and said from the start that it takes issues of harassment, bullying and abuse seriously. “We have a comprehensive process in place to deal with allegations of such conduct,” it said.
Communications Director Emma Bowie then confirms that “Marie-Christine Grenier is not eligible to participate in any activities attended by Skate Canada registrants or members during the period of her suspension from October 24, 2022 to October 23, 2023”. And that Skate Canada, in accordance with its policy, “and to respect the confidentiality of the complainant, will not disclose any further details.”
Other Quebecers on the list
On the site of Patinage Québec, the organization that monitors Quebec skaters and coaches affiliated with Skate Canada, we state via email that they “at the end of yesterday announced Marie-Christine Grenier’s one-year suspension because of was informed of misconduct. The managers of the club and the programs in which she trained were also informed of the suspension,” wrote Any-Claude Dion, general manager.
Regarding the investigation and the nature of the complaint, Patinage Québec is returning the ball to Skate Canada, even though the coach is part of its organization.
In recent years, three Quebec coaches have been expelled for misconduct, according to the list posted online by Skate Canada. The list of “provisional suspensions” includes two Quebec coaches, Marie-Christine Grenier and Richard Gauthier. When it is still impossible to discern the nature of Ms Grenier’s wrongdoing, Richard Gauthier faces charges of gross lewdness, sexual assault and indecent assault on a skater. The court case is still ongoing. For its part, Skate Canada lists on its website that Richard Gauthier’s violation is an “alleged misconduct.”
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