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The owner of the Mid-South Fencer’s Club in Durham, North Carolina, claims that Penn State fencing coach Wes Glon and his former assistant George Abashidze are continuing their defamation efforts against him, following the ‘alleged sexual misconduct on the part of Abachidze.
Jennifer Oldham made the revised allegations in an affidavit filed June 15 in Pennsylvania Intermediate District Court against Penn State, Glon, Abashidze and Title IX coordinator Christopher Harris.
Abashidze was put on administrative leave from the university ahead of his 10th year as an assistant coach with the Nittany Lions in September 2018.
The US Center for SafeSport, a non-profit organization working to end abuse in American athletics, lists sexual misconduct and sexual harassment violations on behalf of Abachidze in its disciplinary records database.
In her complaint, Oldham alleges on a December 12, 2017 flight from Portland, Ore., That a drunken Abashidze sitting next to her persisted with “sexual overtures” for several hours, which eventually escalated into physical assault.
According to Oldham, Abashidze allegedly made sexual and inappropriate remarks about his wife and former students. She said Abachidze first asked her to have sex with him, before insisting.
When she refused, he allegedly sexually assaulted her.
The incident was seen by a fencing equipment salesman sitting across from her, Oldman said.
Oldham, fearing that offending Abachidze could harm her “career prospects” because of her “importance in the world of fencing”, was unsure of what to do with the situation after returning to her husband’s home in North Carolina, according to the affidavit.
In this January. On February 17, 2015, file photo, head coach Wieslaw ‘Wes’ Glon speaks to Karen Chang (saber) during a break at the Penn State Invite fencing meeting in the White Building.
Collegiate archive photo
In an attempt to seek advice, Oldham reached out to his mentor and fencing friend, Ed Korfanty, who is another prominent Portland-based fencing coach.
He reported Oldham’s accusations to Glon, who traveled with Abashidze in January 2018 to meet with her to discuss the situation.
Oldham accused the two coaches of trying to intimidate her into shutting her up, telling her no one would believe her and hinting that he would “make sure of that”.
She also claims that Glon insisted that Abachidze apologize to her, and that would be “enough to [Oldham] drop the case. “
Oldham said Glon told him he still had no plans to report the incident to Penn State at this point.
In her affidavit, Oldham claimed that Glon and Abashidze launched a “smear campaign” against her in the competitive fencing world in 2018, which has continued to this day.
Oldham has reported online and in-person harassment of colleagues who believe Abachidze has done nothing wrong.
“I was made to feel unwelcome at social gatherings after competitions,” Oldham wrote in his affidavit, “an important aspect in forging professional bonds in the tight-knit circle of fencing.”
In addition to the claims against Glon and Abashidze, the lawsuit accuses Penn State of trying to cover up the incident and refusing to hold the two coaches accountable.
Oldham said her fencing club has lost students to the libel allegations, and she and her lawyers are looking for ways to put in place protections for herself and for potential witnesses.
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