VANCOUVER -- The freelance journalist who first wrote about abuse allegations involving former Vancouver Olympic CEO John Furlong insists it is her, not Furlong, whose reputation has been unfairly damaged, and she says she's eager to defend herself in court.
Laura Robinson wrote an article in the Georgia Straight newspaper last year that alleged Furlong verbally and physically abused students while he was a teacher in northern B.C. in the late 1960s and early 1970s. The article prompted Furlong to sue Robinson and the paper for libel.
Since the story, three people who claim to be former students, including at least one who appeared in Robinson's original article, filed lawsuits containing explosive allegations of physical and sexual abuse.
Furlong went on the offensive this week in a series of media interviews, categorically denying any wrongdoing and casting Robinson as a vindictive activist who has published false allegations as part of a personal vendetta against him.
Robinson says in a statement Wednesday that Furlong's fierce criticism of her, especially during what she described as the "onslaught" of interviews he participated in this week, has been unfair.
"I value my hard-earned reputation as a freelance investigative journalist," Robinson says in the statement released by her lawyer.
"My personal reputation, my reputation as a journalist, and my ability to earn a living have been seriously damaged by Mr. Furlong's vindictive personal attacks."
Robinson says she stands by her original article and she urged Furlong to take the steps necessary to bring the case to trial quickly.
Robinson claims Furlong is stalling the legal action. She says he has not requested a trial date or sought to interview her for oral discovery.
Robinson says her lawyers will file a motion to have the case dismissed "for want of prosecution" and to have portions of Furlong's statement of claim that "attack me personally and professionally" struck out.
Furlong said in interviews this week that the RCMP "cleared my name," pointing to a letter he received from the police in April that said investigators found no evidence to substantiate allegations by one of the complainants.
The RCMP said this week the case "remains open," which Furlong said he could not explain.
Robinson seized on the apparent discrepancy in her statement.
Furlong's lawyer, John Hunter, could not be reached for comment on Robinson's statement. He did not immediately reply to an email with a list of questions.
Robinson is currently in Denmark, where she made a presentation about Furlong to a conference called Play the Game.
During his media blitz, Furlong said he would be "escalating" his lawsuit against Robinson, while dropping his claims against the Georgia Straight newspaper.
He also accused Robinson of abusing the process, including additional allegations in court documents. In her statement of defence in the libel case, Robinson levelled additional allegations involving two of Furlong's former spouses that were not mentioned in her original article.
In her media statement Wednesday, Robinson insisted she had done nothing inappropriate by including those allegations in her court filings.
