In a shocking lawsuit, bobsled Olympian Aja Evans alleges almost a decade of sexual abuse by USA Bobsled team chiropractor, Dr. John Wilhelm, sparking a call for greater accountability within Olympic organizations.
Chicago Olympic bobsled medalist Aja Evans is seeking justice, as she filed a lawsuit against the USA Bobsled and Skeleton Federation, alleging nearly a decade of sexual abuse and harassment by the team's osteopathic medical provider, Dr. John Wilhelm. The lawsuit, filed in New York, claims that the abuse began in 2012 under the pretext of athletic medical care and took place mostly at the USA Bobsled headquarters in Lake Placid, New York accordign to NBC Chicago.
Evans' allegations include several instances of nonconsensual touching of her genitals and inner groin area by Wilhelm during the treatment sessions, amidst her teammates experiencing similar instances. It is also alleged that Wilhelm photographed Evans and her teammates while they were undressing, without their consent. According to The Athletic, teammates even went as far as hiring a separate team chiropractor at their own expense to avoid Wilhelm, showing the deep distrust and discomfort that had been festering within the team.
In 2017, Evans reported the accusations to USA Bobsled, but both the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC) and USA Bobsled dismissed the complaint and failed to open an investigation into Wilhelm's conduct. Instead, Wilhelm continued to serve within the organization, further exacerbating the existing problems, as per NBC Chicago.
“The repeated molestation and sexual assault I suffered at the hands of John Wilhelm left me physically and emotionally damaged, to the point where I experience chronic anxiety and fell out of love with the sport of bobsledding,” said Evans in an emotional statement.
Both the USOPC and the USA Bobsled have since landed under the spotlight, as their failure to offer protection and enable a response to the allegations of abuse, calls into question their responsibility for athlete safety. Attorney Michelle Simpson Tuegel, representing Evans, pointed to the similarities between Aja's experience and the widespread sexual abuse suffered by USA Gymnasts at the hands of Larry Nassar, furthers NBC Chicago. This raises an alarmingly prevalent issue across multiple Olympic organizations and emphasizes the need to quickly address the problem of athlete protection.
Dr. John Wilhelm, through an attorney, vehemently denied the claims, saying, "Dr. Wilhelm wholeheartedly denies the detestable claims against him." as mentioned in The Athletic It's important to note that no conviction has yet occurred and both sides are continuing to assert their stance in the legal process.
