Gymnastics coach accused of sex assault fired from Ottawa job in 2013

A gymnastics coach charged this week with sexually assaulting a teenage girl in Mississauga, Ont., was fired for an inappropriate relationship with a minorin Ottawa nearlyfive years ago, according to his former employer.

ScottMcFarlane, a 28-year-old fromOttawa, faces five chargesincluding sexual assault and child luringafter a 15-year-old girl went toPeel Regional Police earlier this month with allegations of multiple sex-related incidents alleged to have happened over a period of four yearswhileMacFarlanewas working as a coach at Manjak's Gymnastics in Mississauga.

• Gymnastics coach charged with sexual assault worked in Ottawa

It'snot the first time McFarlane has been accused of inappropriate behaviour with a female minor.

In a statement to members late Tuesday, Tumblers Gymnastics Centre in Orlans detailed howMcFarlaneengaged in "inappropriate communications" with a female athletein April 2013, which led to his firing.

Several former employees of the gym told CBCMcFarlanewas fired for sending inappropriate messages and shirtless photos of himself to a 12-year-old girl. The messages were found by the girl's mother, the former employees said.

According to the gym's statement,police and other "appropriate authorities" wereinformed of the situation. No charges were ever laid, and McFarlane's coaching licence was never suspended.

In an email to staff dated April 25, 2013, then-general manager KarlBalischa current member of the Gymnastics Canada executive informed staff thatMcFarlanewas no longer working at Tumblers, but revealed no other details.

Gymnastics Ontario told CBCWednesday the organization was never made aware of the circumstances behind McFarlane'sfiring.

Ottawa police refused to comment on the 2013 accusationsand directed all questions to Peel police, who said they only know about the most recent accusations againstMcFarlane.

'I didn't know much about his past'

As a child, McFarlane trainedat Tumblers in Ottawa before he started coaching there in 2005, according to hisLinkedInprofile, which has since been takendown.

McFarlanespent eight years teaching at Tumblersbefore being fired and movingto Mississauga, where he quickly landed a new job.

McFarlane, whoworked atManjak'sfrom2013 to2017, underwent a police background check and provided references when he applied for thejob. It all checked out, according to gym owner KellyManjak.

"I didn't know much about his past," Manjak said Tuesday, adding that hewas informed of McFarlane'sfiring from the Ottawa gym months after he hired him.

Manjaksaid he was told the firing had to do with"social media," and that no charges were ever laid.

Fired due to 'policy problems'

According to the statement from Tumblers, McFarlanecontinued to contact athletes in Ottawa after his move to Mississauga, and his former employer stepped in to "end those communications and prevent further contact."

In October 2017McFarlanewas fired fromManjak'sover what the owner would only describe as"policy problems."Very soon after, McFarlane started coachingat a third gym inOakville, Ont.

He only worked there for two weeks before asking for a leave of absence,according toOakvilleGymnastics CEO WayneHussey. Hussey said McFarlane's police check was clean.

"We have never heard anything bad about him,"Husseysaid Tuesday. "I just hope that the truth comes out in the near future."

Over the last two years,McFarlanehas also been a guest coach at gymnastics camps in B.C., Saskatchewanand Quebec.

Multiple complaints to Gymnastics Ontario

Gymnastics Ontario CEO DaveSandfordsaid the organization was first alerted to allegations ofsuspicious behaviour byMcFarlanein October 2017 the same month he was fired from Manjak's leading to athree-month suspension.

McFarlanewas suspended indefinitely when the organization learned that police were investigating him, according to Sandford.Gymnastics B.C. and Gymnastics Canada also suspendedMcFarlaneindefinitely after charges were laid Tuesday.

McFarlanehas been released on bail and his next court appearance is scheduled for Feb. 28.

Peel Regional Police believe there could be more victims and want anyone with information to contact them at 905-453-212, ext. 3460, or Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-8477.

McFarlane'sarrest comes days after disgraced former U.S. gymnastics doctor LarryNassarwassentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison.Nassaradmitted to molesting some of the top gymnasts in the U.S., including several Olympians.

The Canadian gymnastics community has been grappling with its own allegations of sexual misconduct. Former CanadianOlympic gymnastics team head coachDave Brubakerwas charged with sexual assault by Sarnia police in mid-December.

Quebec police are also investigating gymnastics coach Michel Arsenault after a Radio-Canada investigation revealed sexual assault accusations dating back to the 1980s and 1990s.