RCMP asks victims of alleged B.C. Games groping to come forward
30 girls claimed they were touched inappropriately during a dance and now the RCMP wants to talk to them
The RCMP is asking that athletes who were victims of alleged inappropriate touching during a dance at the B.C. Games contact the North Cowichan detachment.
"It's extremely important that we speak firsthand to anyone with information that can help us in our investigation," said S/Sgt. Annie Linteau.
On Thursday, the B.C. Games Society divulged that 30 girls had complained about being touched inappropriately by boys during a July 21 dance held for athletes competing in the 2018 B.C. Summer Games in the Cowichan Valley.
B.C. Games president Kelly Mann said the society's head of security, who is also an RCMP officer, opened a file on the alleged incidents the next morning.
"It was 14 and 15 year old kids on a dance floor, and some boys decided they were going to try and get away with something ... touching inappropriately and acting inappropriately," said Mann. "That's not acceptable behaviour by our codes of conduct or our expectation of athletes at our games."
Mann does not believe alcohol or drugs were a factor.
"Every story we've been told, that's not been the indication," he said.
The B.C. Games Society has reached out to the families of those who came forward through a registered letter explaining how the organization is handling the situation.
A different letter has been sent to provincial sport organizations outlining the steps to take if an athlete in their sport was involved in the alleged incidents.
Mann does not know what sport or sports the alleged perpetrators were competing in but said the girls were from a number of different sports.
Approximately 1,500 athletes attended the dance. The 2018 B.C. Summer Games brought together 3,100 athletes between ages 18 and under competing in 18 different sports.
Linteau said the RCMP had yet to speak to a single athlete involved in the alleged incidents, and that there could be more than 30 victims.
"We take these allegations very seriously, and it's imperative that anyone who has any information contact us," she said.
The RCMP is requesting that anyone with information speak directly to the North Cowichan RCMP which is handling the file. They can be reached at 250 748-5522.