.jpg;w=120;h=120;mode=crop){kind=avatar}
Bob Steven Birarda, 53, is facing nine charges including six counts of sexual exploitation, two counts of sexual assault and one count of child luring.
The alleged offences occurred in North Vancouver, Burnaby and West Vancouver between January 1988 and March 2008.
Identities of the alleged victims are protected under a court-ordered publication ban.
Charges were sworn on Nov. 30 and Birarda made his first appearance at a bail hearing in North Vancouver provincial court on Dec. 9.
Birarda, who lives in Delta, has been released on conditions that he not have any contact with any of the alleged victims or go to any place where they are likely to be. He must also stay away from public parks, community centres, theatres, pools, schools or soccer fields where people under 18 are likely to be and must not have contact or be in the presence of anyone under 18 except with prior written permission of a bail supervisor.
Birarda must also not engage in coaching, volunteer work or employment that could bring him in contact with people under 18.
His next court appearance is Jan. 28.
Previously, more than a dozen women who played for the Whitecaps and were part of Canada’s under-20 talent pool around 2008 had come forward to allege Birarda, a former coach for both teams, acted inappropriately with members of the team.
None of the allegations have been proven in court.
Birarda was dismissed by both the Whitecaps and Canada Soccer in October 2008.
Former North Vancouver player Ciara McCormack first brought the allegations to public attention with a blog post in February 2019, saying neither the Whitecaps nor Canada Soccer adequately investigated when she complained about Birarda’s behaviour.
The revelations prompted fans to walk out of several Whitecaps games that spring.
Last year, the Toronto-based Sport Law & Strategy Group completed a third-party review of how the Whitecaps handled the complaints, noting there was a “lack of effective communication with the players.”
The group’s report also noted that many recommendations as to what the club could have done differently at the time had “already been addressed and are reflected in current policies and practices.”
Whitecaps sporting director Axel Schuster issued a statement Thursday following news Birarda had been charged, saying “today’s developments have reinforced the harm he brought to women in our program during that time. We should have been better, and for that we are sorry.”
Schuster said the club’s primary focus “is to respect and protect” the interests of the women who have come forward and the integrity of the court process.”
Canada Soccer issued a statement late Thursday saying the organization commends the women who came forward.
“The incidents experienced by these individuals who have shared their stories are not acceptable and we are sorry that they have had to experience such distress,” the statement said.
Canada Soccer added that it has put in place mechanisms for keeping athletes safe, including an anonymous reporting system.
“We remain committed to ensuring a safe environment for all participants,” it said.
– with files from The Canadian Press
