Former VANOC CEO responds to defamation countersuit

Former Vancouver Olympic head John Furlong has once again deniedallegations he abused students at a Catholic school in northern British Columbia four decades ago, as part of twolegal replies filed in B.C. Supreme Court today.

The replies, whichwere filed by Furlong's lawyers, are the latest chapter in an increasingly complicated legal battle stemming from a story published by the Georgia Straight newspaper andjournalist Laura Robinson in September of last year.

In the story, Robinson alleged thatduringFurlong's time as a teacher in Burns Lake in 1969 and 1970 that he abused several First Nations students at the Catholic day school.

Furlongemphatically denied the allegations and two months later filed a lawsuit againstRobinsonand theweekly Vancouver newspaper seeking damages, as well as an apology and retraction.

The Georgia Straight filed a responseto Furlong's civil claim sayingthe story was not defamatory and amounted to fair comment.

• Vancouver newspaper defends John Furlong story in court
• Furlong says he 'cared for' Burns Lake students

Robinson filed her owncounterclaim, insisting that what she wrote was true and constitutes responsible communication on matters of public interest.Robinson also alleged in the counterclaim that Furlong physically abused his ex-wife.

In hisresponse on Friday,Furlongfiled replies to both Robinson and the newspaper, saying he was a popular physical educationteacher in 1969 and 1970.

His reply said thatwhilehe made students run laps and do push-ups, threw basketballs at themin drills, and required children to wear gym clothes, none of that was intended to be malicious, unfair, abusive, or harmful.

Furlong also denied the allegationsof abuse involving his ex-wife,and accusedRobinson of using the legal process as a "back-door" publication of defamatory comments.

Furlong also claimed thatRobinson has a history of journalistic inaccuracy and defamation, and listed four documented instancesof herprior stories that failed to stand up to court challenge, police investigation or independent investigation.

Robinson's lawyer Bryan Baynham said, "My client stands by her story and wants to have this matter behind her as soon as possible."

Allegations about Furlong's pastare now also the subject oftwoothercivil claims filed earlier this week in B.C. Supreme Court bytwo womenwho have alleged Furlong sexually assaulted them during his time atat a school in Burns Lake.

• Read more: Former students file lawsuit against ex-VANOC CEO

Furlong has previously denied alltheabuse claimsatanews conference, but has yet to respond to the lawsuits with a statement of defense. None of the claims by any of the parties havebeen proven in court.