Olympic bobsledder Aja Evans files lawsuit alleging sexual assault by team chiropractor
Content warning: This story includes descriptions of alleged sexual assault
Olympic bobsledder Aja Evans filed a lawsuit in New York state court Wednesday that details multiple incidents of alleged sexual assault by a chiropractor on Team USA's medical staff, per a report from ESPN.
Dr. Jonathan Wilhelm, who is based in Montana, is not the only defendant in the filing. His Pro Chiropractic clinic, the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee and the USA Bobsled and Skeleton Federation are also named in the suit.
Evans and her teammates trained for international competitions at a Lake Placid facility and the lawsuit was filed not far from there, in Essex County.
Evans first met Wilhelm in 2012 to treat a hip injury, according to the filing. During that treatment session, Wilhelm allegedly asked her inappropriate questions about her personal life and touched her inappropriately.
Wilhelm "touched and groped Ms. Evans' genitals and body in contravention of any applicable medical standards," according to the lawsuit.
His alleged abuse was widely known among the team, Evans reportedly said in the filing. After Wilhelm allegedly photographed and recorded Evans and other members of the team uncovered during treatment sessions, they reported his behavior to coaches and officials.
"At times I spoke up to the coaches and the medical staff, it was really disregarded," Evans told ESPN.
She and her teammates became so uncomfortable with Wilhelm in 2016, that they decided to pool their money and pay to fly in their own medical provider for training sessions, per the filing.
Wilhelm's attorney addressed the filing's claims in a statement, via ESPN.
"Dr. Wilhelm wholeheartedly denies these baseless allegations," the statement said. "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."
Evans' attorney, Michelle Simpson Tuegel, represented more than 20 women in civil cases filed against Larry Nassar. The former Olympic doctor for USA Gymnastics was sentenced to more than 100 years in prison after pleading guilty to sexual assault of his former patients.
His behavior is "eerily similar" to Wilhelm's, Simpson Tuegel told ESPN.
Before Evans' lawsuit, the U.S. bobsledding and skeleton authorities were reportedly reviewed for their hiring practices and culture. The internal investigation reportedly found a "toxic culture" within the sport, as "a significant portion of Black athletes and some white athletes" expressed a perception of racial bias toward athletes of color.
Evans, who is Black, told ESPN she felt marginalized and afraid to report her experiences with Wilhelm. The 35-year-old from Chicago began her sports career as a collegiate track and field star. She pivoted to bobsledding and won a bronze medal in the 2014 Olympics, placing fifth in 2018.
In November 2022, Evans was banned two years from the sport for not submitting a drug-testing sample during an out-of-competition test that March. She is now living in Atlanta and is reportedly considering a bobsledding return after her suspension.
