Weightlifter to Sue Federation and Coach for Discrimination and Harassment
By Tea Mariamidze
Friday, May 3
Weightlifter Tatia Lortkipanidze, who accuses a coach of the women’s team of sexual harassment, is going to file a lawsuit against the Weightlifting Federation and the coach Temur Janjgava.
Lortkipanidze will sue the coach for sexual harassment and the federation for the discrimination against her, which, as she says, affected her psychologically and materially.
At the joint press conference with the NGO Sapari, which protects the rights of vulnerable groups, including women, children, ethnic minorities and LGBT, the athlete said she has often become the target of the sexual harassment from the coach and after she exposed the problem, the Weightlifting Federation did not let her take part in the European Championships.
“I will sue the federation and Janjgava who have psychologically and materially harmed me. I think that this competition would be the best opportunity for my career and for the future competition where the license is needed,” she said, adding she worked hard for the competition she could not attend.
Lortkipanidze also recalled cases of sexual harassment, stressing that Janjgava made several inappropriate comments about her which were of sexual nature. She also claims the coach was asking her to do a pregnancy test.
As the sportswoman says, she notified about the case her personal trainer, family, and the Federation President Kakhi Kakhishvili, who, according to Lortkipanidze, had a cynical reaction about the issue.
Lortkipanidze has not participated in the European Championship, which started on April 6 in Georgia’s Black Sea coastal city Batumi.
The athlete, her father Dimitri Lortkipanidze and personal coach Gela Makharashvili say that the reason for her withdrawal from the competition is unclear and is based on the disagreement between Temur Janjghava, head coach of women's team and Lortikpanidze.
The federation claims that the reason for Lortkipanidze's dismissal is her disciplinary violations.
In addition, coaches say that Lortkipanidze refused to workout with the team.
