A gymnastics coach from Cambridge, Ontario, who was banned last year for bullying athletes has had her appeal rejected by an arbitrator.
In November 2023, Gymnastics Canada permanently barred Elvira Saadi from working with athletes following an investigation into several allegations of mistreatment.
Saadi challenged the ban earlier this year through the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre of Canada, but a ruling on June 24 denied her appeal.
At 72 years old, Saadi is a two-time Olympic gold medallist and coached Canadian gymnasts who competed in the Olympics in 1996, 2000, 2012, and 2020. She also co-owned Dynamo Gymnastics Club in Cambridge.
Amanda Fowler, a Toronto-based sports lawyer representing one of the current athletes involved (who wished to stay unnamed), described the rejection of Saadi’s appeal as “precedent setting.”
“This is the first type of sanction in the world to award a lifetime ban for non-sexual maltreatment. And I think that’s really important to send the message to the sport community that athlete well-being is important and athlete well-being is important across all levels,” she said.
‘Toxic work environment’
Fowler explained that the panel found Saadi had mistreated multiple athletes over a span of 13 years.
“It went through an investigation phase,” Fowler said. “It determined that all of the complaints had merit and that they did in fact happen.”
The mistreatment reportedly included “things like body shaming, name calling, criticizing athletes, yelling and screaming at them, creating a toxic work environment, limiting food and water intake, dispensing non-prescribed pills and supplements, persuading them to train while injured and really serious things like that,” Fowler added.
In 2009, Elvira Saadi was inducted into the International Gymnastics Hall of Fame. This screengrab is from her induction speech, which is on You Tube. (International Gymnastics Hall of Fame/You Tube)
Saadi received a lifetime ban from coaching athletes. On top of that, she’s banned for ten years from training other coaches. She’s also permanently barred from participating in any other activities related to Gymnastics Canada-like judging events or attending competitions-and can’t be involved in making training or competition materials either.
After those ten years pass, she would still need special training before being allowed to coach other coaches again.
The decision by Carol Roberts-the arbitrator at the Sport Dispute Resolution Centre-stated that Saadi claimed “the investigation and disciplinary proceedings were unfair” and argued “the sanction imposed by the panel was not within a reasonable range of penalties.”
Fowler told Cambridge Chronicle this decision is final with no further appeals possible for Saadi.
Looking forward
Elliott Saccucci is a Toronto lawyer who represented Saadi during these proceedings.
“She tells me that while she wishes her gymnastics career had come to a different end, that she is at peace and wants to move on and enjoy the next stage of her life as much as she possibly can,” Saccucci wrote in an email to Cambridge Chronicle.
“She has no plan to judicially review the decision; she’s looking to turn the page and hopes everyone else involved can also move on and find their own peace.”
Saccucci also mentioned he along with co-counsel Alessia Grossi “had serious concerns about the disciplinary process that Elvira was subjected to at Gymnastics Canada” as well as about how severe this sanction was. They worked pro bono on this case “to make sure that the process before Gymnastics Canada-and its suspension-were reviewed fairly by an independent arbitrator” at Sport Dispute Resolution Centre.
Saccucci highlighted one issue he found especially troubling: Gymnastics Canada secretly paid legal fees for all but one complainant involved.
The arbitrator agreed this seemed unfair toward Saadi and specifically noted there should have been clearer rules and more transparency around creating what amounted to legal aid for complainants,” Saccucci said.
Breach of policy
Roberts wrote in her ruling that athletes were allowed an advocate during hearings; however in Saadi’s case one advocate represented three different athletes-and Gymnastics Canada covered their legal costs.
Yet according to Gymnastics Canada’s policies every party-complainants included-as well as respondents themselves must pay their own legal bills.
Though Roberts found this policy breach happened, “I am unable to find that Ms. Saadi was denied
the right to a fair hearing.”
Roberts concluded saying she believed banning Saadi fell “within a range of possible acceptable outcomes” based on facts presented so decided not interfere.
Amanda Fowler told Cambridge Chronicle she & co-counsel (also pro bono) are separate from those advocates representing athletes during hearings.
“This ruling means something big here for sport across Canada,” Fowler said.
“It really does protect athletes.”
“By having such sanctions it shields current gymnasts not just from Miss Saadi herself but also anyone influenced by her methods-which protects future generations coming up too.”
“Hopefully it sparks-or speeds up-that culture change everyone says Canadian sports needs badly.”
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