Former VANOC head John Furlong has filed a civil suit against the Georgia Straight newspaper and reporter Laura Robinson, according to reports.
Furlong previously promised to pursue legal action in response to a Sept. 27 article that alleged he physically abused First Nations students as a teacher in Burns Lake decades ago.
His suit was reportedly filed Tuesday against Robinson, Daniel McLeod, Charlie Smith and Vancouver Free Press Publishing Corp.
Furlong, who is now the executive chair of the Vancouver Whitecaps, has spoken out on two occasions to strongly deny all the allegations made in the article, which cited eight former students from Immaculata Catholic School.
Their allegations included that Furlong hit, kicked and slapped them during his time as a physical education teacher in 1969.
“I categorically deny absolutely any wrongdoing and I believe that the RCMP in looking into this matter will discredit the complaint entirely because it just did not happen,” Furlong said the day the article was published.
Furlong and his lawyers said they will not speak to the matter further while it is before the courts. The Georgia Straight also declined to comment on Tuesday.
Robinson has pledged to file a countersuit against Furlong for accusing her of failing to properly research her story, and suggesting she has a vendetta against him.
Each of her interviewees signed affidavits for their claims.
