John Furlong's family denies allegations of abuse

The family of former Vancouver Olympics CEO John Furlong has issued a public statement in response to recent court documents filed by a journalist alleging he abused his former partners.

On Wednesday, two of Furlong's ex-wives, along with five children and 11 grandchildren, issued a public statement saying the accusations made by freelance writer Laura Robinson are without merit and portray a character whom none of them recognizes.

"We are being subjected to shame and embarrassment …. Imagine trying to explain to your nine-year-old child that an adult in a position of power has written that Grandpa is a racist, a wife-beater and a rapist," said the statement.

The war of words began last fall when Robinson wrote a story alleging Furlong had verbally and physically mistreated native students while he was a teacher at a Catholic school in Burns Lake in the late 1960s.

Furlong vehemently denied the accusations and launched a lawsuit against Robinson and the Georgia Straight newspaper, which published the story.

Earlier this week, Robinson filed her response with the courts, which included further allegations Furlong abused his former partners. 

CBC News decided initially not to report details of the new allegations that Robinson raised. But his family's extraordinary statement now makes it necessary to reveal some of the content in order to explain the family's position.

The Georgia Straight newspaper filed a separate response to Furlong's lawsuit last week.

None of the allegations has been proven in court.