OTTAWA -- A May 2019 decision to issue a lifetime ban to former Ottawa track and field coach Andy McInnis has been upheld after a review of the decision.
McInnis was suspended by the Ottawa Lions club in March 2019 following allegations of sexual harassment, which launched the initial Athletics Canada investigation.
In May 2019, Athletics Canada issued a lifetime ban to McInnis, based on findings in a report by former Ontario Ombudsman André Marin.
However, In December, McInnis won an appeal to overturn his lifetime ban.
In the appeal, Arbitrator David Bennett found the language used in the initial report was "inflammatory, highly editorial, and generally unnecessary" and that it served "no purpose but to convince the reader of Mr. McInnis' guilt." A review of the May 2019 decision was ordered.
In a decision rendered June 8, 2020, Commissioner Hugh L. Fraser upheld a lifetime ban for McInnis.
"I hereby Order that Andrew (Andy) McInnis be expelled from Athletics Canada and all its activities including involvement with any of its member branches and Track & Field Clubs. I also order that Andrew (Andy) McInnis be removed from the Athletics Canada Hall of Fame," Fraser's decision said.
Fraser also directed Athletics Canada to publish his decision on its website and list McInnis as a permanently suspended individual on its Safe Sport webpage.
The report reviewed 12 allegations against McInnis. The report found insufficient evidence or no violation in nine of the allegations, but did find major infractions of Athletics Canada's Code of Conduct and Ethics in two cases involving inappropriate photographs or comments on social media. A minor infraction was also found in connection with comments made about the bodies and weight of female athletes.
Fraser said that while McInnis expressed remorse for some of his actions, he had also been sanctioned for similar complaints in 2016.
"While a suspension from Athletics Canada’s activities for a designated period of time with conditions for return, might have been a sanction worthy of consideration had Mr. McInnis been facing allegations of this nature for the first time, the fact that he is a repeat offender dealing with accusations that are remarkably similar to those which he faced less than two years earlier, greatly diminishes the viability of such a sanction," Fraser said.
"Athletics Canada views Safe Sport as a right for all participants. Athletics Canada prioritizes maintaining a healthy, safe and secure environment for its athletes, coaches, officials’ volunteers and employees. Harassment of any kind is incompatible with that environment and is strictly enforced," Athletics Canada said in a press release.
View the full decision below.
