An Olympic gold medalist who once brought pride to Canada is now facing a two-week suspension from Skate Canada over allegations of “bullying and harassment.” The case goes back to a complaint filed by another coach in November 2025, while the 40-year-old, now working as a coach at Skate Oakville in Ontario, after retiring from figure skating in 2018, denies the claims.

Recently, Meagan Duhamel shared a personal moment on Instagram, posting a smiling photo with her two daughters, Zoey (born 2019) and Miya Charlie Rose (born 2022). Along with the image, she added a message focused on parenting, writing, “More than anything, I want my kids to know how to stand up for themselves. To trust their gut. To say something when something isn’t right, even if it’s uncomfortable.”

She continued, “Life isn’t fair, but I hope they grow up choosing courage over staying quiet. I hope they don’t only stand up for themselves but also stand up for others when they witness wrongdoing. If I can teach them this, I’ll have succeeded.” While the message was written as advice for her children, it also clearly connects to her current situation, reflecting the same idea she is living through now, where she is choosing to speak up and defend her actions.

The incident gained wider attention on May 5, when journalist Lori Ward reported in her blog that, “The two-time world champion was suspended as a result of a complaint filed by her colleague through the Skate-Safe system in November 2025. We are talking about harassment and bullying against another coach.” However, the coach’s identity was not revealed.

But the situation is also being linked to earlier events that reportedly triggered the complaint in the first place. Sources cited by the Broken Ice report that the complaint is connected to an on-ice confrontation at Skate Oakville in the fall of 2025, where Duhamel allegedly confronted another coach over concerns involving an inappropriate relationship linked to her husband, Bruno Marcotte, who was also coaching at the rink at that time.

Following that confrontation, Skate Oakville is said to have informed its members internally and asked them not to discuss the situation publicly. And that same coach, involved later, filed a formal complaint through the Skate-Safe reporting system, which triggered an independent investigation process under Skate Canada’s procedures.

As a result, the findings classified the conduct as “psychological maltreatment” under the Universal Code of Conduct to Prevent and Address Maltreatment in Sport in Canada (UCCMS).

Meagan Duhamel responded to the outcome by saying, “I’m aware of a recent disciplinary outcome that has been made public. I acknowledge and take responsibility for my reaction. I also believe deeply in accountability, fairness, and athlete safety.” At the same time, her legal team has advised her not to comment further on the details of the complaint.

But Meagan Duhamel has often been vocal when something in the sport doesn’t sit right with her, as we saw in 2022.

Meagan Duhamel’s take on the Kamila Valieva doping case

In the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing, then 15-year-old Kamila Valieva tested positive for a banned heart medication called trimetazidine. The outcome became known at the Games, which triggered an inquiry for which she was still permitted a Games berth. She later went on to win the women’s singles 4th. But after a lengthy legal process, through the CAS, Valieva was later found guilty of an anti-doping rule violation.

In 2024, she received a four-year ban, backdated to 2021, and all her results from the affected period were disqualified. But at that time, Duhamel made some comments even though the case was already highly emotional and politically charged, and Valieva was only 15 years old at the time, which made the situation even more sensitive. Despite that, Duhamel focused strongly on rules, fairness, and accountability in sport.

Later, she also gave a more nuanced picture of the situation, in which case she wrote about the bigger picture. In an interview with Rolling Stone, she said of Valieva: “This is not [Kamila’s] fault. She did not go to a pharmacy and buy these dru*s herself. They were given to her by people around her.” She added, “It’s just a whole broken system.”

Even Duhamel also called for more action to be taken on a broader scale, such as a tougher stance on doping structures in sport to safeguard young athletes who are caught up in these high-pressure situations.

So, the Valieva situation is not the first in which Duhamel has been seen to be in focus on fairness and the systems of the sport. Now that same voice follows her on her journey, as she protects herself through this process while skating in Canada. The case continues to be under review and will continue to unfold.