Canadian ice dancing champion Nikolai Sorensen is under investigation by Canada's Office of the Sports Integrity Commissioner for alleged sexual assault in 2012, USA Today reported.
Sorensen, who competed for his native Denmark until moving to Canada in 2018, is scheduled to compete at the Canadian Championships Jan. 8-14 in Calgary.
Montreal-based Sorensen and Laurence Fournier Beaudry are national ice dancing champions and are in ninth place at the 2022 Olympics.
Citing a report obtained by both the OSIC and the U.S. Center for SafeSport, USA Today said the U.S. figure skating coach and former skater filed a complaint about the alleged assault that occurred in Hartford, Connecticut.
This claim has not been tested in court.
“We are aware of the USA Today article that just came out, but since this is an active case within OSIC, we cannot comment and neither will our athletes,” Karen Bedard, Skate Canada's director of communications, said Thursday.
Skate Canada later said in a statement that all complaints of misconduct go through OSIC “to ensure independent review, investigation and disposition.”
“As a signatory to the program, Skate Canada adheres to any directions from Abuse-Free Sport and its agents, including the Sanctions and Consequences Director.”
The Office of the Canadian Sports Integrity Commissioner was established in June 2022 as an independent body to deal with complaints and reports of abuse and mistreatment in sport.
All nationally funded sporting bodies were required to become signatories.
“In order to protect the integrity of the investigative process and its outcome, the Office of the Sports Integrity Commissioner operates under confidentiality standards and does not comment on ongoing matters,” a spokesperson for Canada’s Sports Dispute Resolution Center said in a statement.
“While individuals involved in these matters are also required to adhere to Abuse-Free Sport’s confidentiality policy, its application is limited to information received, collected or generated in the course of Abuse-Free Sport’s complaints management process.”
