Aja Evans, who won a 2014 Olympic bobsled bronze medal, accused a doctor affiliated with the USA bobsled team of sexual assault in a lawsuit filed Wednesday.
Aja Evans, a collegiate track and field star whose journey took her from Chicago's South Side to a bronze medal in the 2014 Olympics, filed a lawsuit in New York state court Wednesday, alleging she was sexually assaulted on multiple occasions during treatment sessions by a doctor who for years was a fixture on Team USA's medical staff.
According to the lawsuit, Wilhelm"touched and groped Ms. Evans' genitals and body in contravention of any applicable medical standards." In discussions with teammates, Evans says, it became well known that, regardless of the injury, Wilhelm would"go for the adductor," a collection of muscles in the pelvic region.
Wilhelm did not respond to ESPN's request for comment but released a statement Wednesday night through his Flagstaff, Arizona-based attorney Ryan Stevens. Aja Evans, who won a bronze medal in the two-woman bobsled at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, says she and teammates reported Dr. Jonathan Wilhelm's conduct to USA Bobsled and Skeleton but the complaints were disregarded. In addition to Evans' lawsuit, Wilhelm is the focus of an ongoing investigation by the U.S. Center for SafeSport, which began after another athlete raised concerns about his behavior during treatment sessions.
"It's clear that he used being a part of USA Bobsled for his own promotion and business," Evans' attorney, Michelle Simpson Tuegel, told ESPN."Similar to Larry Nassar, he was the Olympic chiropractor for the bobsled team, and there are articles online that he wrote."