Canadian figure skater Nikolaj Sorensen has been suspended for at least six years for “sexual maltreatment,” the Office of the Sport Integrity Commissioner announced Wednesday.

The suspension was listed on the office’s Abuse-Free Sport registry and is subject to challenge or appeal.

The ban is a result of an OSIC investigation into an allegation that Sorensen sexually assaulted an American figure skating coach and former skater in Hartford, Conn., in 2012.

Sorensen has denied the allegation, which has not been tested in court.

Sorensen and skating partner Laurence Fournier Beaudry were active last season despite the allegation and investigation.

In January, the pair withdrew from the Canadian figure skating championships in Calgary. But in March they competed at the world championships in their home base of Montreal.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Oct. 2, 2024.

The Canadian Press