Vitaly Scherbo made his first public statement since Tatiana Gutsu accused him of raping her. Gutsu came forward in October of 2017 saying she was raped by Scherbo in 1991 at a competition in Germany. Unlike his mother, Scherbo refused to comment on the allegations until yesterday when he told Belarus 1 that he is suing Gutsu. He didn’t provide any details of the lawsuit but supposedly he is suing for defamation. The first hearing will take place in February. The interview coincided with the premiere of a documentary on Vitaly Scherbo called “Undefeated” – the channel filmed this documentary in August of 2017 and decided to show it despite the allegations.
Scherbo: “What can I say on this matter? Whether you talk or don’t, whether you try to defend yourself or you don’t, any words would have no meaning and so sense at all. Nowadays absolutely any person can say anything and then you’ll have to stand and defend yourself that you’re not an elephant. The only thing I can say: in my opinion, a person who is a rapist, a person who rapes, especially the one who rapes underage children – it’s a crazy, mentally ill, sick person. Those people shouldn’t exist in this world. So just ask yourself a question: is it even possible that the greatest athlete, practically the only one [like that] in the history of the sport, could be mentally unstable, just sick in his head, to do such a thing? You just have to ask yourself this question, that’s all. And to say something, to explain something, it’s all pointless. To defend yourself against some insane words – it’s just useless”.
“The only thing I can say again: I filed a lawsuit against her. It’s natural, it was clear from the very beginning, I was preparing with the lawyers. That’s why the first hearing will already happen in February. It’s all on the internet, any person can look it up on [the website of] the Las Vegas Federal court or, I don’t know, which court it is. It’s all recorded, it’s all numbered because this process is happening now. And, of course, I won’t just let it go, because… Of course, to prove something even on my side, that it’s all just empty allegations… What the witnesses say is one thing, but still, it won’t be possible to prove anything here and the people will think whatever they want to think. So, when the lawsuit will be over, when all this will be finished, and if anyone will want to learn some details about the lies that she’s telling, the contradictions and the rest that was told by a crazy person, it’ll be possible then. And what can I say now? There’s nothing to say”.
Looks like Scherbo took some tips from John Geddert with his “I’m the greatest athlete”defense – Geddert’s lawyers mentioned that his gym was “award-winning” in the motion to dismiss the lawsuit against him.
Support Gymnovosti on Patreon from only $1 a month and help us bring to you even more awesome gymnastics coverage!
Poor Tatiana! I feel so bad for her…