Elite athletes, especially Olympians competing at the very highest level of sport, rely on their coaches, institutions, and trainers to keep them, above all else, safe. When that trust is betrayed, victims deserve to hold not only their abuser accountable, but all of the institutions and individuals who enabled or concealed the abuse.

On September 20, 2023, The Simpson Tuegel Law Firm filed a lawsuit against USA Bobsled and Skeleton Federation, the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC), Pro Chiropractic, and former team osteopathic medical provider John Wilhelm on behalf of Aja Evans, an Olympic bobsledder. The complaint alleges over a decade of harassment and sexual abuse by Wilhelm against both Ms. Evans and other members of the USA Bobsled team.

The complaint also alleges USA Bobsled was made aware of Mr. Wilhelm’s conduct – which included repeated unwanted touching of athletes’ groin and genital areas as well as repeated photographing of athletes in states of undress without their consent – as early as 2017. Despite these reports, Ms. Evans alleges USA Bobsled and the other institutional defendants not only failed to investigate these allegations after they were reported but chose to purposely cover them up.

Since filing, other survivors of Wilhelm’s abuse have bravely decided to seek justice and are currently represented by the Simpson Tuegel Law Firm. Considering the longevity and nature of Wilhelm’s abuse, we expect additional USA Bobsled team members and other women to come forward with similar experiences. If you’ve experienced sexual abuse, harassment, or other misconduct by John Wilhelm, while you were with USA Bobsled or otherwise, our team is here to help you chart a course forward. The Simpson Tuegel Law Firm focuses on making sure that survivors’ rights are upheld, and we work to obtain justice on behalf of those whose safety and wellbeing has been violated by the people and institutions entrusted with their care.

We make it our personal responsibility to not only seek justice on behalf of survivors to hold the perpetrator and his enablers accountable, but also do everything in our power to raise awareness and prevent this from happening to others.

Our expertise

With years of experience fighting for survivors of abuse in sports, The Simpson Tuegel Law Firm is adequately equipped to ensure survivors of sexual harassment and abuse secure the justice and compensation they deserve. Our commitment to advocacy coupled with our savviness in and out of the court room puts us in an apt position to serve our clients and relentlessly pursue their sexual harassment, assault, and abuse claims.

Our firm has represented survivors and helped them obtain meaningful verdicts and favorable settlements in many of the most high-profile sexual abuse cases of the last decade, including the Larry Nassar litigation against The U.S. Olympic Committee, Michigan State University, and USA Gymnastics, the litigation against the University of Southern California related to Dr. George Tyndall, and the litigation against the University of Michigan related to Dr. Robert Anderson.

As a former world-ranked slalom water skier, Michelle Simpson Tuegel understands the vulnerabilities of athletes who are programmed to fully place their trust in the hands of their coaches, trainers, and sporting institutions. Combining her personal passion and experience with her legal acumen, Michelle is prepared to circumnavigate the myriad of complexities that arise in these cases.

While our primary goal is to deliver justice and compensation for our clients, we are also driven by the ripple effects of our work, which includes inspiring more survivors to share their stories and in turn, create a safer sporting world. We intend to continue shining a light on abuse in sports to erode the all too prevalent cultures of silence.

We are here for you

Telling your story and reliving the trauma of sexual abuse and harassment can be incredibly painful and requires considerable courage. Above all else, we are here to represent and support you, and will provide guidance on pursuing both criminal justice and civil claims against your abuser and the people or institutions who enabled them.

If you are in need of representation in this matter, another instance of abuse, or simply have questions about a potential path to justice, please reach out using the contact form below, and we will get in touch as quickly as we can.

Link to press release

News

SportsCenter | SportsCenter Report: Aja Evans Lawsuit

ESPN | Bobsled medalist Aja Evans sues chiropractor alleging sexual assault

ABC | Aja Evans, bobsled medalist, sues chiropractor alleging sexual assault

Bleacher Report | USA Bobsled Olympic Medalist Aja Evans Accuses Chiropractor of Sexual Assault

The Guardian | Olympic bobsleigh medalist Aja Evans sues team doctor alleging sexual assault

USA Today | Olympic bobsled medalist Aja Evans files lawsuit alleging sexual abuse

The Athletic | Olympic bobsled medalist Aja Evans sues chiropractor alleging sexual abuse

INSIDER | An Olympic bobsledder alleged her doctor sexually abused her and photographed her and her team undressing, per a new lawsuit

Yahoo! Sports | Olympic bobsledder Aja Evans files lawsuit alleging sexual assault by team chiropractor