Toronto 2015 Chair Fights Back, Canada's Rio 2016 Uniforms Unveiled

(ATR) The chair of Toronto 2015 denies all allegations that he made inappropriate comments and touched a manager of the Pan American Games organizing committee.

David Peterson, who is also the former premier of the Province of Ontario, filed a defamation counter-suit against Ximena Morris, seeking $200,000. He vowed to donate it to the Paralympic Foundation of Canada, should he win.

Morris sued last September for $10 million. She went public with her allegations before the Games ended last July and also named CEO Saad Rafi, senior vice-president Amir Remtulla and lawyer Karen Hacker in her lawsuit.

Peterson’s pleadings allege that Morris’s lawyer wanted $500,000 and gave a 30-minute deadline on Aug. 13, 2015 to settle the matter out of court.

"Ms. Morris and her counsel attempted to use the threat of litigation and the threat of going to the press with her allegations, in order to extract from Mr. Peterson and his co-defendants a substantial sum of money," the statement of defense says.

None of the allegations has been proven in court.

Team Canada builds on TO2015 look for Rio

In a Canadian Olympic Committee first, the athlete uniforms for Rio 2016 were unveiled on Facebook Live Apr. 11 in Toronto.

Canada is expected to take a 315-member team to compete in Rio for the Olympics and 170 for the Paralympics.

The package for each team member includes leisurewear, jackets, pants and accessories, village wear and clothing for ceremonies and podiums.

Canadian fashion design brothers Dean and Dan Caten of Dsquared2 designed the opening ceremony uniform with a red, white and black jacket, shirt and pants.

Replica T-shirts, hoodies, track jackets, hats and scarves range from $15 to $150 and go on sale at 90 Hudson’s Bay stores across Canada on May 4. Some items were made available immediately via TheBay.com.

"The kit is unique, quintessentially Canadian and will be proudly worn by our athletes when they represent our great country on the world stage in Rio," said COC president Tricia Smith.

HBC has been the team’s outfitter since 2005, debuting its first line at Torino 2006.

Written by Bob Mackin

For general comments or questions,click here.

20 Years at #1: Your best source of news about the Olympics is AroundTheRings.com, for subscribers only.