Impacted student athletes seek BU apology in soccer coach harassment case

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This article was published 25/04/2022 (975 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

Despite pleas from former student athletes at Brandon University who hung up their cleats because of a soccer coach’s misconduct — including suggestive messages, personal and sexual harassment, and blackmail — the school has yet to issue a public apology for internal failures that have caused harm.

“We feel unheard and not protected by a school that should protect us,” said one of a handful of young women who reported concerns about Jesse Roziere. “When you do choose to come forward and start this whole process, it’s exhausting and scary and you’d hope that your school has your back.”

The student, who joined the Bobcats roster when she was a teenager in 2016 (the same year Roziere started as a trainer for the men’s team, before moving to work with women in 2019-20), has participated in two investigations into her former coach since late 2020.

Both an internal review and recent independent examination came to the same conclusion: the now-30-year-old man acted inappropriately with young female athletes.

“The blurred lines and conflicts of interest abound in this case,” human rights lawyer Pamela Clarke wrote in a 52-page document outlining her fall investigation.

Meantime, Roziere’s lawyer said Monday his client denies all allegations of wrongdoing.

Roziere remained on the job following BU’s internal findings last spring. He was put on paid leave in September, after a reporter inquired about the school’s problematic review and refusal to re-do it upon the request of complainants.

The internal process did not take into account BU’s sexualized violence policy and only after it ended were students connected with an employee whose job is to support community members with sexual harassment reports and advocate on their behalf.

Nearly eight months ago, administration cited new information coming to light as the reason for swiftly hiring an independent investigator.

Many of Clarke’s remarks about the first review, which was launched after an initial complaint in late 2020, were redacted in copies of the Dec. 23 report shared with the four official complainants.

In the conclusion of her damning report, Clarke said BU would benefit by involving the students in moving forward to address her serious findings — including that Roziere sexually harassed players.

The young women have repeatedly called on the school to acknowledge its mishandling of their allegations via public apology, given gossip in soccer circles has run rampant in recent months.

Lauren Craig, a former defender with the Bobcats, said she is frustrated the school refuses to share all the contents of the new report and continues to delay issuing an apology leaders have repeatedly indicated is on the horizon.

The fourth-year student said all of the women involved want to clear their names, after facing allegations about fabrication, losing friends over the matter, and experiencing dirty looks from faculty members and active university athletes.

Not long after Roziere was put on leave, members of the 2021-22 women’s soccer team showed up to a game with white tape, bearing the handwritten initials “J.R.,” wrapped around their ankles.

“I’m not going to stop hounding (BU) until they (publicly release the report). People don’t just believe women — that would make life too easy. It’s systemic sexism. People won’t just believe us without evidence,” Craig said.

“I’ve made it very clear from the start that I expect a public apology to all of us.”

This situation provides good learning for all universities when it comes to addressing sexualized violence on campuses, said Mary Lobson, founder of REES (Respect, Educate, Empower Survivors) — a virtual platform that has partnered with schools including BU so community members can report sexual harassment securely and anonymously online.

“Whether we like it or don’t like it, there are obligations to both sides,” Lobson added, noting REES partner institutions have a desire to support students but they have to balance responsibilities, such as employee collective agreements, in handling matters.

BU declined to provide comment Tuesday.

Amid a 2016 scandal, which was prompted by a student sharing her experience of reporting a sexual assault and being given an ultimatum: sign away the ability to discuss the case with anyone but a counsellor or risk being expelled, the then-president held a news conference.

The school leader at the time publicly acknowledged BU’s mistake in using behavioural contracts. In the wake of widespread backlash, the university introduced a sexualized violence policy.

maggie.macintosh@freepress.mb.ca

Twitter: @macintoshmaggie