Olympic bobsled medalist Aja Evans files lawsuit alleging sexual abuse

Olympic bobsled athlete Aja Evans filed a lawsuit Wednesday against a chiropractor who has frequently worked with the U.S. bobsled team, saying he sexually abused her during treatment sessions dating back to 2013.

Evans, who won bronze at the 2014 Sochi Olympics, says in the lawsuit that chiropractor Jonathan Wilhelm "touched and groped (her) genitals and body in contravention of any applicable medical standards" in a string of incidents spanning more than a decade, several of which occurred at the Olympic & Paralympic Training Center in Lake Placid, New York. She alleges Wilhelm regularly found reasons to work on her adductor muscles, which are located in the inner part of the upper leg, even when she did not report any issues or pain in that area.

"The abuse was so pervasive, persistent, and common, it is difficult to calculate the exact number of times the abuse occurred," Evans' lawsuit states, while asserting that the abuse she suffered "mirrors" that perpetuated by Larry Nassar, the disgraced former doctor who was convicted for abusing Olympic gymnasts.

Ryan Stevens, an attorney for Wilhelm, said in a statement that his client "wholeheartedly denies the detestable claims against him."

"The overt efforts of Ms. Evans' attorney to publicly compare Dr. Wilhelm to Larry Nassar is disgraceful and defamatory − especially at this very early stage, before Dr. Wilhelm has had any opportunity to defend against these baseless claims in court," Stevens said.

Evans' lawsuit also states that Wilhelm recorded and photographed her and other athletes without their permission while they were "in various states of undress" − and that the athletes reported that behavior to USA Bobsled/Skeleton, the sport's national governing body.

USA Bobsled/Skeleton and the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Committee are each named as defendants in the suit, in addition to Wilhelm.

In response to a request for comment, USA Bobsled/Skeleton said in a statement that it remains "committed to promoting a safe and respectful environment for all athletes, coaches, staff and volunteers."

"While we are unable to comment on the specifics of the lawsuit or any ongoing investigations, USABS condemns sexual misconduct.," the national governing body said. "These types of matters fall under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Center for SafeSport and law enforcement."

The USOPC, meanwhile, said it hadn't received a copy of the lawsuit as of Thursday morning and couldn't comment on any specific details.

"We take athlete safety and every allegation of abuse very seriously," the USOPC said. "The USOPC remains committed to ensuring the safety and wellbeing of Team USA athletes, and we are taking every step to identify, report, and eliminate abuse in our community."

ESPN, which first reported the news Thursday, added that Wilhelm is currently the subject of an investigation by the U.S. Center for SafeSport. The center did not immediately reply to a message seeking comment but generally does not comment on potential or ongoing investigations.

Evans, 35, was a five-time all-American as a college track and field athlete before switching her focus to bobsled in 2012. She competed at both the 2014 and 2018 Olympics and has won 14 medals at World Cup events, plus a bronze medal at the 2017 world championships. She is currently serving a two-year suspension for violating anti-doping rules after failing to submit a sample for a drug test in March 2022.

Contact Tom Schad at tschad@usatoday.com or on social media @Tom_Schad.