Content warning: This article contains sexually explicit details which may be triggering to some.
VICTORIA, British Columbia – Adam Zugec, owner and head coach at Zuma Ultimate Martial Arts in Victoria, is facing public accusations of inappropriate and sexual misconduct. Women who have come forward, identified as Jane and Janet for privacy, allege a pattern of concerning behavior. Jane, who trained at Zuma for 18 months, claims numerous instances of sexual misconduct from Zugec. She decided to go public with her experiences on Reddit after a specific incident, aiming to warn other women. Her post prompted many more women to share similar experiences.
Women Detail Disturbing Experiences at Martial Arts Gym
Allegations include inappropriate touching, unwanted advances, and sharing explicit material.
- Owner and head coach Adam Zugec accused of sexual misconduct.
- Multiple women report inappropriate touching, comments, and unwanted advances.
- One accuser claims an incident involved a physical altercation after refusing unwanted touching.
- Two women have filed police reports with the Victoria Police Department.
- The gym issued a statement acknowledging the concerns and outlining steps for review and change.
Jane described her initial experiences with Zugec as starting with “leering, with sexual comments, talking about my sex life, telling me about babies.” She states the behavior escalated to unwanted long hugs and inappropriate touching. Jane also alleges Zugec showed her an explicit photo of a half-naked woman. In the winter of 2023, she says Zugec asked to photograph her, implying a nude photoshoot, which she understood based on the explicit image he had shown her. The situation culminated last year when she repeatedly refused his advances, leading to what she describes as a physical altercation.
“I thought this doesn’t feel safe,” Jane stated, citing his alleged disrespect for consent and refusal to accept a “no.” Since her Reddit post, 11 other women have reported similar experiences. Two of these women have since filed reports with VicPD.
Jane believes Zugec was discreet with his alleged behavior, noting that many women initially thought they were alone in their experiences. “Then as soon as some of these stories started coming out, it was evident how ubiquitous this was,” she said.
Janet, who trained at Zuma for eight years, also witnessed concerning behavior. She recalled Zugec making a sexual comment to a friend she brought to class, which led her to stop attending. In the summer of 2023, Janet says Zugec asked her to spar. Despite the size difference – he is 250 pounds and she is small – she felt she couldn’t refuse without causing offense. During this session, she claims Zugec touched her inappropriately, stating, “I know it wasn’t an accident.”
Gym Responds to Allegations
Following the traction from Jane’s Reddit post and media attention, Zuma issued a statement on its Instagram account. The leadership team acknowledged the “painful stories and concerns” shared about experiences at the gym. They emphasized that “every person deserves to feel safe and respected.”
The gym leadership recognized that informality and leadership centered on one individual can lead to people being failed. In response, Zuma announced three steps: hiring an independent third-party for a comprehensive review, forming an Advisory Council with student and community involvement (with an emphasis on women), and implementing formal policies on boundaries, instructor-student contact, communication, and reporting mechanisms.
“We are not defending the past. We are defining what comes next, together,” the statement concluded.
However, Jane and Janet expressed disappointment with the gym’s response. “We were initially hopeful that this letter would contain some acknowledgment by the Zugecs of the pattern of misconduct that women have reported,” Jane wrote. “We are disappointed to find none.” They had hoped for Zugec to be named, an apology, and a commitment that he would no longer coach students.
Jane criticized the proposed solutions as inadequate for addressing the immediate risk posed by Zugec remaining in his position. She characterized the situation not as “blurred lines” but as a serious abuse of power and trust that has driven women away from a sport they loved.
What are the women’s demands?
Jane and other women who have come forward have penned an open letter to Zuma calling for an apology, Zugec’s removal from coaching, and for him to be named in connection with the allegations. The open letter has garnered 80 signatures.
As of this publication, the open letter has garnered 80 signatures.
