More than 100 Canadian boxers are calling for the resignation of Boxing Canada's high-performance director Daniel Trepanier and an independent investigation into the sport's culture and safe sport practice.
In a letter sent to Sport Canada on Wednesday morning, athletes said Boxing Canada has cultivated a toxic culture of fear and silence.
"There has been a consistent trend for over a decade where Boxing Canada athletes and coaches who spoke out against wrongdoing or advocated for what is right end up outside of the organization," the letter said. "Many athletes feel they have suffered physical abuse, psychological abuse, and neglect by the organization because of their failure to address these issues. Repeated attempts have been made to bring these issues to light, and they have been ignored or dismissed."
Last year, they said, a comprehensive collection of boxers' experiences was submitted to Boxing Canada's board of directors, and no formal investigation was launched to look into allegations.
Mandy Bujold, a double Pan American Games gold medallist, two-time Olympian, and 11-time national champion, tweeted: "I stand with the athletes and coaches! #Timeforchange."
I stand with the athletes and coaches! <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Timeforchange?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Timeforchange</a> <a href="https://t.co/xGdLyhEs8r">https://t.co/xGdLyhEs8r</a>
Boxing Canada didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
Wednesday's letter was signed by 121 current and former boxers back to 2008. It was sent to Canada's Minister for Sport Pascale St-Onge, Own the Podium CEO Anne Merklinger, the Boxing Canada board of directors, and AthletesCAN.
The letter comes amid what St-Onge has called a "crisis" in
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