Keeping Track of Criminal Cases & SafeSport Suspensions in Skating

[neu]

I wonder if Sorensen can sue those woman for slander?

Just because they've never tested positive doesn't mean they weren't being doped.

Just because some person was never accused of raping doesn't mean that person is not a rapist.
Just because some person was never accused of murder doesn't mean that person is not a murderer.
You can go very far using this logic.

 

[Prancer]

Just because they've never tested positive doesn't mean they weren't being doped. Very few East German athletes tested positive but all admitted that they took the drugss they were given.

When the entire athletic system of a nation is focussed is cheating, ALL of their athletes are already suffering and being abused. Allowing athletes who are being drugged and abused to compete is condoning that abuse, and it's unfair to the clean athletes they're competing against.

I would think that fans of the athletes don't want them abused but you want the abuse to be allowed as long as they haven't been caught.

We have an entire thread devoted to this topic. As has already been posted by an admin, please take this discussion to that thread.

First of all, we shouldn't be speculating about who the victim is.

Absolutely agree.

 

[The Observer]

Sales/Wamsteeker are entered at Nationals, competing together and engaged to be married.

I figured this thread could use some happy news.

Did Wamsteeker change his mind about leaving skating last year and going into the Royal Canadian Air Force? I thought he made an announcement to that effect?

 

[Frau Muller]

First of all, we shouldn't be speculating about who the victim is.

…

Agreed…but how many of us have been checking out birth years (ie, 1990) of known female ice dancers who are now coaches?

 

[peibeck]

Agreed…but how many of us have been checking out birth years (ie, 1990) of known female ice dancers who are now coaches?

I believe (and could be wrong) that she was only identified as an ice skater, not singled out by discipline.

 

[skategal]

Did Wamsteeker change his mind about leaving skating last year and going into the Royal Canadian Air Force? I thought he made an announcement to that effect?

He did make that announcement last year.

I don’t really know the details and they were vague about it on IG.

But it seemed like he might be pursuing both? So maybe he took a Leave of Absence or delay in starting the career piece of the Air Force? Or spreading out the flight hours training over a couple of year and skating too? Or what?

Maybe they will clarify more at Nationals.

ETA. I just checked her instagram and she says he is still continuing his career so he must have an arrangement where he is able to do both at the same time.

 

[BlueRidge]

He did make that announcement last year.

I don’t really know the details and they were vague about it on IG.

But it seemed like he might be pursuing both? So maybe he took a Leave of Absence or delay in starting the career piece of the Air Force? Or spreading out the flight hours training over a couple of year and skating too? Or what?

Maybe they will clarify more at Nationals.

What I saw she looked for another partner but didn't find one and so he agreed to continue skating. I wonder how much training they have done but I'm very glad they will be at Nationals. I always enjoyed their skating.

 

[jmtfti]

They competed at Skate Ontario Sectionals and Challenge in the last couple of months so they do have some season experience under their belt.

 

[Dragonlady]

He has not been proven guilty.

This idea that a criminal finding of guilt is necessary before ANYTHING is done is ridiculous. Sorenson can't be criminally convicted so there will be no "proven guilty" moment here. The standard practice is to suspend those accused, both for the protection of those they are working with, and to give the accused the time and privacy he needs to prepare his defense, until a hearing can be held.

This idea of "innocent until proven guilty" is ONLY applicable when the possibility of his being sent to jail is under consideration. This is not a criminal matter. Sorenson is in no danger of losing his freedom here. The criminal standards don't apply.

 

[Dragonlady]

I agree. I was just speaking generally about our sexual assault/rape victims in Canada. Canada believes in rehabilitation. That’s different from the U.S. I just feel that when there is tons of evidence .. the sentences should be much longer. I’m not really referring to this case though.

However, it strongly brings back memories of this case in my city. He’s Quebec but stuff happened in Ottawa ??. https://ottawacitizen.com/news/local-news/1120-batchelor

very, very dangerous. Our courts take a long time too.

Reading the article, it appears that the judge believed the accused over the shocking testimony of his victims. I'm shocked, shocked I tell you.

 

[yurokis40]

Maybe someone from skate canada deliberately leaked the news to american media to make IAM look bad leading up to worlds, we all know they are desperate to get gilles and poirier that world gold, marie-france has alot of power with judging panels piper also liked ashley wagner tweets, chock and bates are by the way very good friends with nik.

 

[Lara111]

Maybe someone from skate canada deliberately leaked the news to american media to make IAM look bad leading up to worlds, we all know they are desperate to get gilles and poirier that world gold, marie-france has alot of power with judging panels piper also liked ashley wagner tweets, chock and bates are by the way very good friends with nik.

I am not sure who did that but timing of it and the whole thing does look very suspicious

 

[Karen-W]

Maybe someone from skate canada deliberately leaked the news to american media to make IAM look bad leading up to worlds, we all know they are desperate to get gilles and poirier that world gold, marie-france has alot of power with judging panels piper also liked ashley wagner tweets, chock and bates are by the way very good friends with nik.

I am not sure who did that but timing of it and the whole thing does look very suspicious

What I found... interesting... was the series of tweets that TSL had on the story - directly attacking IAM. It almost made me wonder if DL got wind of the allegations and leaked it to Brennan knowing she would dig into it.

 

[Judy]

Reading the article, it appears that the judge believed the accused over the shocking testimony of his victims. I'm shocked, shocked I tell you.

There were different trials that happened over a year or so. More victims were coming forward. There was public outrage but he eventually got convicted for some of them.

 

[yurokis40]

What I found... interesting... was the series of tweets that TSL had on the story - directly attacking IAM. It almost made me wonder if DL got wind of the allegations and leaked it to Brennan knowing she would dig into it.

Dave lease did mention there was an anti IAM branch among some judges and this will only add to it, skate canada really wants that gold for g&p this year at home.

 

[Karen-W]

Dave lease did mention there was an anti IAM branch among some judges and this will only add to it, skate canada really wants that gold for g&p this year at home.

Eh... I can't see it hurting/impacting IAM and their top contender for gold in Montreal. All it does is take out FBSoer, but we knew before this news broke that they weren't going to be Canada's #1 going into Worlds, so any Canadian judge on the panel wasn't going to be in their back pocket. I expect that Marie-France knows how to navigate these treacherous waters and the rest of the IAM teams will fare just fine at Worlds. We might even see your pets finish 5th in Montreal.

 

[yurokis40]

Eh... I can't see it hurting/impacting IAM and their top contender for gold in Montreal. All it does is take out FBSoer, but we knew before this news broke that they weren't going to be Canada's #1 going into Worlds, so any Canadian judge on the panel wasn't going to be in their back pocket. I expect that Marie-France knows how to navigate these treacherous waters and the rest of the IAM teams will fare just fine at Worlds. We might even see your pets finish 5th in Montreal.

Hoping LALA beat them next week at nationals if this happens LALA might have secured their spot in the final flight at worlds.

 

[marbri]

I think it's obvious Brennan and Lease have some sort of relationship where they scratch each others backs for info.

Dave does seem to be going scorched earth with IAM right now. He mentions he contacted a top coach there on Dec 14 asking about this and has a history of flashing his connections with them so I can only surmise IAM has cut him off and he is bitter.

 

[Private Citizen]

What I found... interesting... was the series of tweets that TSL had on the story - directly attacking IAM. It almost made me wonder if DL got wind of the allegations and leaked it to Brennan knowing she would dig into it.

I don’t believe these wild conspiracy theories about SC leaking this to politic for Gilles and Poirier, but DL and Brennan are in cahoots and have been for more than a decade. She often feeds DL information she can’t publish so it will leak and generate more information (and hopefully for her, substantiation, so she can publish). He feeds her all the gossip / rumors, some of which she can take further with her sources.

 

[Wyliefan]

I couldn't help but chuckle when TSL was shocked, SHOCKED, that F-B/S went from 13th to 5th in the world over a period of years. Like, that's how ice dance works, folks. Even leaving all the acknowledged politicking aside, people improve, other people retire, and teams move up. How stupid do they think we are?

 

[Aceon6]

How stupid do they think we are?

We are not their target audience.

 

[Karen-W]

I couldn't help but chuckle when TSL was shocked, SHOCKED, that F-B/S went from 13th to 5th in the world over a period of years. Like, that's how ice dance works, folks. Even leaving all the acknowledged politicking aside, people improve, other people retire, and teams move up. How stupid do they think we are?

We are not their target audience.

Truer words have never been said on FSU. Just spend 3 minutes scrolling through the illogical, juvenile comments on Xwitter about this story and you'll realize TSL is just playing to and riling up that idiotic portion of the FS fanbase.

 

[her grace]

I am not sure who did that but timing of it and the whole thing does look very suspicious

There's nothing suspicious about the timing. Brennan and USA Today released the article when they did in order to have maximum impact. Let's face it, normal people don't care a whole lot about figure skating, but releasing this news in proximity to a large skating event makes it more newsworthy to the average reader.

The Indy Star did the exact same thing when they released their sexual abuse by gymnastics coaches article right before the Rio Olympics. People like Jonathan Horton bemoaned the timing and complained it might affect the athletes. But what did that article do? It inspired Rachael Denhollander and Jessica Howard to report Larry Nassar's abuse and eventually led to him being arrested and going to jail.

 

[kwanfan1818]

I might have chosen before Worlds, since Canadian Nats doesn't even have a TV contract, and 4C's isn't exactly prime-time, by reputation, attendance, or time-zone friendly to North America or Europe.

 

[Vagabond]

One of the risks all miscreants take is that their misdeeds will come light at an inconvenient moment.

 

[skategal]

I assumed the story came out because the victim and her lawyer weren’t satisfied with the response to date of Skate Canada and the Office of Sports and Ethics and were afraid it would all get swept under the rug.

So they went public to get pressure on Skate Canada to “do something.”

 

[Aceon6]

So they went public to get pressure on Skate Canada to “do something.

About a Danish (at the time) skater who is accused in Connecticut. I can see why Skate Canada’s lawyers are throwing their hands up.

 

[Dragonlady]

Maybe someone from skate canada deliberately leaked the news to american media to make IAM look bad leading up to worlds, we all know they are desperate to get gilles and poirier that world gold, marie-france has alot of power with judging panels piper also liked ashley wagner tweets, chock and bates are by the way very good friends with nik.

And maybe you just made this up.

Gilles/Poirier's competition is the Italians and Chock/Bates, not Sorenson and partner. Especially the way they've been skating this Fall.

Fornier Beaudry/Sorenson were only 2 points ahead of Lajoie/Langha, and nearly 20 points behind Gilles Poirier at the GPF, so your scenario no absolutely no sense whatsoever.

 

[Private Citizen]

I might have chosen before Worlds, since Canadian Nats doesn't even have a TV contract, and 4C's isn't exactly prime-time, by reputation, attendance, or time-zone friendly to North America or Europe.

This is as high profile as it will get for F-B&S. They're the defending Canadian champions. Based on their season thus far, they're unlikely to be in medal contention at Worlds, by which time they might have been the number-three Canadian team in the lower half of the top 10.

 

[pat c]

About a Danish (at the time) skater who is accused in Connecticut. I can see why Skate Canada’s lawyers are throwing their hands up.

LOLOL!! A lot of casual skating fans who will be in attendance in Calgary will be going? Yeah? So?? Sorenson might be an arsehole but he's got nothing on ignorant, beer guzzling hockey players.

It is a puzzle as to why this was put out there now. To me, it sounds like someone with an axe to grind, whether it's the other party involved or someone who's just taken the opportunity.
(I have no idea as to whether Sorenson is innocent or guilty, and I doubt we ever will).