Cambridge gymnastics coach's lifetime ban upheld in 'precedent setting' case, lawyer says

A Cambridge, Ont., gymnastics coach who was banned from the sport last year over bullying of athletes has had an appeal of the earlier ruling denied by an arbitrator.

Gymnastics Canada permanently banned Elvira Saadi from working with athletes in November 2023. The decision came after an investigation into allegations of maltreatment by several athletes.

Saadi appealed the decision this year through the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada but a decision dated June 24 denied her appeal.

Saadi, 72, is a two-time Olympic gold medallist and coached the Canadian Olympic gymnastics team in 1996, 2000, 2012, and 2020. She also co-owned Dynamo Gymnastics Club in Cambridge.

Toronto-based sports lawyer Amanda Fowler, who represented an unnamed current athlete in the proceedings, called the decision to deny Saadi's appeal "precedent setting."

"This is the first type of sanction in the world to award a lifetime ban for non-sexual maltreatment. And I think that's really important to send the message to the sport community that athlete well-being is important and athlete well-being is important across all levels," she said.

Fowler said the panel found Saadi had mistreated a number of athletes over the course of 13 years.

"It went through an investigation phase," Fowler said. "It determined that all of the complaints had merit and that they did in fact happen."

The mistreatment included "things like body shaming, name calling, criticizing athletes, yelling and screaming at them, creating a toxic work environment, limiting food and water intake, dispensing non-prescribed pills and supplements, persuading them to train while injured and really serious things like that," Fowler said.

Saadi was handed a lifetime ban when it came to