The Panel at that time ruled that Dave Brubaker be permanently banned and prohibited from any future application or attempt to gain reinstatement, membership, or any other status with GymCan member associations or clubs, and that Liz Brubaker’s suspension be extended until January 18, 2024, pending the completion of imposed reinstatement conditions. These decisions are now upheld.

“We are relieved that this matter is now concluded so that we can focus on what matters most and that is to ensure that all participants have a healthy training and competition environment,” said Ian Moss, CEO for GymCan. “We appreciate how difficult this experience has been on the brave athletes who came forward and vow to make the necessary systemic improvements to ensure a positive and healthy culture.”

Dave Brubaker was formerly the National Team Director for GymCan’s women’s artistic gymnastics national team and was suspended on December 15, 2017 after being charged by the police with multiple offences. His suspension was extended following the outcome of that process pending an internal investigation by GymCan. Liz Brubaker was provisionally suspended on January 18th, 2019 following the receipt of written complaints to GymCan while she was an elite coach at Bluewater Gymnastics Club in Sarnia, ON.

The Discipline Panel, in its decisions of March 12, 2021, concluded that Dave and Liz Brubaker did breach the GymCan Code of Ethics and Conduct policies that were in effect during the time frame when the events in the various complaints occurred (1996-2017). Specifically, the Panel found that

the Brubakers: “misconduct and resulting code violations constituted physical, verbal, and emotional abuse and harassment, child abuse and neglect, several forms of sexual harassment and misconduct, and various other forms of misconduct including discriminatory and unethical behaviour.”

Further, the Panel found that the Brubakers behaviour: “violated numerous coaching and training standards and obligations relating to athlete safety and protection,” and that, “their repeated misconduct demonstrated a willful and persistent disregard for the ethical principles that governed their conduct and their obligations as coaches of child and youth athletes.”