30 September 2019

Controversial Canadian bobsleigh champion Humphries is released by home nation to compete for USA

Canadian double Olympic bobsleigh champion Kallie Humphries, who has been in dispute with her home nation over harrassment allegations, has now completed the switch to compete for the USA.

Humphries is a three time Olympic medallist, claiming gold in 2010 and 2014 and bronze in 2018 in Pyeongchang but will no longer don the maple leaf after Bobsleigh Canada released her to compete for one of their top rivals.

"I need to be the best athlete I can be and go where it's safe and where I have an opportunity to continue my career," said Humphries.

"And unfortunately, that is not with Bobsleigh Canada anymore."

She married American Travis Armbruster earlier this month and is now eligible to represent the US.

Humphries took a significant step towards American competition when she took part in the American push Championships as a forerunner earlier this month.

Bobsleigh Canada said: "This was not an easy decision, nor was it one we took lightly,

"We carefully weighed all the relevant factors in this important and complex decision of releasing a medal-potential athlete to one of our top competitors."

They had previously said that their investigation had not found any "significant evidence to substantiate the allegations" of any verbal or mental abuse.

USA Bobsled/Skeleton praised the decision of Bobsleigh Canada saying they had "made the correct decision to honour the desire of this athlete over the interests of the federation."

Despite her new competition eligibility, Humphries will not compete during the 2019/20 season as she and her new husband are expecting their first child.

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