American Olympic bobsledder Aja Evans, who won a bronze medal at the 2014 Winter Games, has filed a lawsuit in New York State court alleging that Team USA chiropractor Jonathan Wilhelm repeatedly molested and sexually assaulted her during treatment sessions.
"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," Evans said in a statement, per H. Rose Schneider of the Times Union.
Per ESPN's John Barr, the lawsuit states that Wilhelm "touched and groped Ms. Evans' genitals and body in contravention of any applicable medical standards."
Evans said that she first saw Wilhelm as a patient in 2012 because of a hip injury. Per Barr, "Wilhelm asked her inappropriate questions about her personal life and touched her exposed genital area in a way that made her recoil."
Evans also said that Wilhelm recorded video and took pictures of her and her teammates partially undressed, according to Barr. Evans said she and her teammates reported Wilhelm's alleged behavior to coaches and officials within USA Bobsled and Skeleton.
Evans said Wilhelm's alleged abuse lasted from 2012-2022, per Schneider. Evans also stated that she woke up to Wilhelm touching her in December 2021 while she was hospitalized in Germany after a training accident.
Evans said her reports on Wilhelm to Team USA staffers were not heard.
"At times I spoke up to the coaches and the medical staff, it was really disregarded," Evans told Barr.
Evans is a former track and field star who earned All-American honors as a shot-putter at Illinois. She switched to bobsledding after her collegiate career and was named to the U.S. Olympic bobsled team in January 2014. Evans won bronze one month later and earned a fifth-place finish in 2018.
Evans was suspended for two years in November 2022 after failing to submit a drug test sample during an out-of-competition test in March 2022. Per Schneider, Evans said she decided against fighting the allegations due to "exhaustion over the repeated abuse."
Evans' legal representation, victims' rights attorney Michelle Simpson Tuegel, released a statement in support of her client.
"My client suffered abhorrent and persistent sexual and emotional abuse at the hands of Mr. Wilhelm, who was sheltered and enabled by USA Bobsledding and the USOPC's culture of silence," Tuegel said.
"Unfortunately, her experience is all too common and is in many ways similar to the widespread sexual abuse USA gymnasts faced by Larry Nassar. While nothing can erase the trauma Aja suffered, we are committed to bringing both Mr. Wilhelm and the national organizations which enabled his predation to justice."
Wilhelm denied the allegations via a statement from his attorney, Ryan Stevens, per Barr.
"Dr. Wilhelm wholeheartedly denies these baseless allegations. At no point did Dr. Wilhelm commit these heinous and disgusting acts that Ms. Evans now alleges started over a decade ago. Dr. Wilhelm has reputably served and protected professional athletes all over the world. Dr. Wilhelm looks forward to vetting these unfounded claims and will pursue all legal avenues to protect his professional reputation."
Per Barr, Wilhelm is also "the focus of an ongoing investigation by the U.S. Center for SafeSport" in response to another athlete bringing forth issues regarding the doctor's alleged behavior during treatment sessions.
Wilhelm, his Pro Chiropractic clinic, the United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee and the USA Bobsled and Skeleton Federation are all named as defendants in Evans' lawsuit, per Barr.
When ESPN reached out to USA Bobsled and Skeleton for comment, a spokesperson replied: "We're not prepared to give you a comment at this time, but I can tell you that USABS does not condone sexual violence of any kind."
Evans, who filed through the New York Survivors Act, seeks compensatory and punitive damages, per Schneider.
