Olympic figure skater banned for six years for ‘sexual maltreatment’ of athlete at party
AN OLYMPIC figure skater has been banned for at least six years for the “sexual maltreatment” of an athlete at a party.
Nikolaj Sorensen has been suspended by Canada’s Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner (OSIC), it was announced on Wednesday.
The Danish-born Canadian athlete has been banned following a probe into claims he sexually assaulted an American coach and former skater in 2012.
Sorensen has denied the allegations and has not been charged.
Details of the investigation were revealed in January by USA Today, with the accusations relating to a party in Hartford, Connecticut.
A then 23-year-old Sorensen is accused of sexually assaulting the woman after the party on April 12, 2012.
The 35-year-old had remained active until January this year alongside partner Laurence Fournier before they withdrew from the Canadian Championships.
Sorensen and Fournier finished eighth in the Ice Dance event at the 2022 Winter Olympics two years ago.
They were also Canadian champions in the event in 2023.
Olympic gold medallist Nancy Hogshead is representing the accuser.
The former swimmer is now an attorney and founder of charity organisation Champion Women.