Wednesday, April 24, 2024

Drama at the Winter Olympics

First Published:

The Winter Olympics in South Korea are almost over but drama is unfolding within Canada’s Olympic team. Three members of the delegation were arrested for alleged drunk driving and vehicle theft.

Canadian ski cross racer, David Duncan and his wife Maja, as well as his coach, Willy Raine, have offered apologies after being released from jail in South Korea late Saturday.

The trio were arrested early Saturday after allegedly stealing a Hummer that was left idling. According to police there, they went on a joyride, eventually driving the vehicle into the athlete’s village.

The Hummer was found about an hour later.

Police allege Raine was the driver saying he was caught with three times the legal alcohol limit in South Korea which is double the legal limit here in Canada.

35-year-old Duncan is from London, Ontario.

He placed fourth in the men’s ski cross small final on Wednesday, putting him eighth overall.

In a joint apology statement from the Duncans they say in part “We are deeply sorry. We engaged in behaviour that demonstrated poor judgement and was not up to the standards expected of us as members of the Canadian Olympic Team or as Canadians.”

Coach Willy Raine is the son of Canadian skiing legend Nancy Greene who is now a conservative senator.

Raine offered his statement saying in part, “Words are not enough to express how sorry I am. I have let my teammates, friends and my family down. I would also like to apologize to the owner of the vehicle that was involved.”

Overholt says an athletes agreement outlines the way competitors are expected to behave, the values of the Canadian Olympic Committee and its expectations of athletes and coaches.

He was not willing to speculate on the consequences Duncan, his wife or his coach will face this early into their investigation.

However, drunk driving in South Korea can result in up to three years in prison or a fine of nearly $12,000 CDN.

More Top News

Halton police seek man who exposed himself at Georgetown Marketplace

Halton police are trying to track down a man they say exposed himself to several members of the public while inside a busy shopping...

Road reopens in downtown Hamilton following collision

A crash in Hamilton's core briefly closed part of James Street South. https://twitter.com/hps_traffic/status/1783154683403489402 The closure temporarily forced traffic to reroute through the area. The roadway was reopened...

Speed on some 400-series highways increasing to 110 km/h

The province is planning on upping the speed limit on certain 400-series highways across Ontario. Ontario's transportation minister Prabmeet Sarkaria was in Hamilton on Wednesday to make the announcement,...

Hamilton set to vote on vacant housing tax bylaw

Hamilton is once again looking at creating a city-wide bylaw that taxes vacant homes. On Wednesday, council is expected to decide on passing a vacant...

Niagara home struck by gunfire following late-night shooting

Niagara police are on the hunt for a vehicle they believe may be connected to a shooting. Officers say that residents in a home near...

Police confirm shooting occurred near Gage Park

Hamilton police say they're trying to narrow down the exact day a shooting occurred after discovering a bullet casing near Gage Park. The discovery of...