June 23, 2005

Miranda had sex with 15-year-old girl `It goes against my principles' Comtois

Saying he'd "rather not dive than dive against my principles," Philippe Comtois announced yesterday he would not compete with teammate Arturo Miranda at next month's World Aquatic Championships in Montreal.

Comtois and Miranda were to represent Canada in the 3-metre synchro diving event. Miranda is competing while appealing a six-month suspension handed down in March by a Diving Canada disciplinary panel.

Miranda was censured for bringing "the sport of diving into disrepute" after a 15-year-old diver he has coached complained that he had sex with her in her hotel room during the winter nationals in Calgary in March, 2004. Miranda was 33 at the time.

"It goes against my principles and morality," Comtois said in a telephone interview yesterday. "What he did goes against what I believe. I won't feel comfortable diving with him."

The worlds were to be the swansong for the 28-year-old Comtois, a Montreal native who came back to compete at the 2004 Athens Olympics after shattering his leg four years earlier and missing the Sydney Games.

"The worlds is going to be my last diving event. I wanted the worlds to be a fun event, but I don't see how it could be fun. Diving with Arturo wouldn't be a good experience for me."

Miranda could not be reached for comment yesterday.

After the Star reported his suspension and the reasons for it at the Canadian world diving trials in London, Ont., earlier this month, Miranda told CBC: "After everything is done I want to be vindicated and everything will just be fine."

In making its original ruling, the Diving Canada disciplinary panel determined that a sexual encounter between Miranda and the girl took place and, given their age difference and that their relationship "has an element of a coach/athlete relationship," that "this constitutes conduct on Mr. Miranda's part which is unreasonable and which brings the sport of diving into disrepute."

"He's an adult. The other person was a teenager," said Comtois. "That something happened between an adult and a teenager bothers me. A teenager doesn't have lot of strength, mental or physical, to resist an adult."

Comtois said he has been contemplating pulling out of the worlds since he learned of Miranda's suspension. He said he discussed his options the past few nights with his wife, and that his status as the father of a young daughter with another child on the way influenced his decision.

"This way I know my kids would look up to me and not say, `Dad, why did you dive?' That's what's important for me.

"The worlds were a way to say thank you to my family and friends for 20 years of support. The performance was not the point. Sixty people bought tickets for the synchro to see me dive, but I'm sure they'll understand why I pulled out of the competition."

Comtois, who finished 13th in Athens in 3-metre and fifth in synchro with Alexandre Despatie, said he would be willing to return to the team if Miranda's suspension is upheld.

A spokesman for Diving Canada said this week that a ruling on the appeal should be announced by the end of the month.

Comtois is also next in line for Miranda's individual spot in the 3-metre springboard.

"I'm still training and I'm in good shape and ready to take the place (if it comes open)," said Comtois, who is off to Mexico to compete in this weekend's Grand Prix Super Final.

The family of the diver who filed the complaint against Miranda praised Comtois for his stand.

"To make such a tough decision speaks to his credibility as an individual," said the girl's father. "He's a role model to be looked up to. This is the kind of guy you want representing your country."

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