Three senior executives with the TO2015 Pan American and Para Pan American Games organizing committee deny accusations they failed to appropriately deal with allegedly inappropriate behaviour by former Ontario premier David Peterson, according to court documents filed Wednesday.

Ximena Morris, who worked in various manager roles and acted as the Spanish language announcer during official Pan Am Games ceremonies, has alleged Peterson, the TO2015 chairman, inappropriately embraced her and made humiliating comments about her appearance at work events.

Morris further claimed that TO2015 executives, CEO Saad Rafi, general counsel Karen Hacker and senior vice-president Amir Remtulla failed to appropriately deal with Peterson's actions toward her.

None of the allegations in the statements of claim and defence have been proven in court.

The joint statement of defence, filed on behalf of TO2015 and the named executives, claims Rafi, Hacker and Remtulla responded “appropriately, lawfully and reasonably to Morris's concerns.” In their statement of defence, they requested to be removed from Morris's suit.

The statement continues: “They gave Morris the benefit of the doubt and assumed her to be telling the truth, escalated the concerns to the most senior management levels within TO2015 and took immediate steps to address the concerns with Peterson directly, who in turn offered to apologize to Morris.”

In the documents, TO2015 denies Morris's claim that she was demoted, following her complaints, stating she was only “laterally transferred” and that she publicly described her final position as a “dream job.”

The lawsuit was first filed in August 2015 at the tail end of the Para Pan Am Games. It initially sought damages of $10 million, but that amount was decreased to $3 million in an amended claim filed in March.

Peterson vigorously denied the allegations in a statement of defence filed in April, claiming the lawsuit is baseless and intended solely to embarrass him and coerce him into a payout. At the same time, he filed a $200,000 defamation counterclaim.

In his statement of defence, Peterson claims he only recalls only one interaction with Morris, at a volunteer launch event. While in an elevator with his wife and several other people, including Rafi, he commented on Morris's red shoes, which reminded him of a flamenco dancer dancing on a table with red shoes that he'd seen in a film, according to the statement.

Peterson alleges he learned from Rafi that the elevator interaction upset Morris and offered to apologize, but Morris did not want an apology or to make a formal complaint.

In her statement of claim, Morris alleges Rafi and Remtulla personally witnessed inappropriate conduct by Peterson during work events and failed to intervene or take appropriate action. In one instance, Peterson closely embraced her during a work party and told Remtulla: “Isn't she gorgeous,” she alleges.

Remtulla does not recall this interaction, according to his statement of defence. Peterson also denied it in his own statement of defence.

Morris alleges that Rafi was present when Peterson suggested she get up on the table and dance. She claims Rafi turned to her and said “please don't sue us, let it roll off your back.”

In the statement of defence, Rafi says he only witnessed an interaction between Peterson and Morris in the elevator lobby, when Peterson commented on Morris's shoes.

During a meeting after Morris complained about Peterson's behaviour, she claims Rafi again told her to “let it roll off your back” and that she should get used to being sexually harassed because it would happen again and again in her career.

Rafi denies this allegation and, according to the statement of defence, “acted reasonably, empathetically and appropriately.” He said Morris told him she just wanted to be left alone to do her job and did not want to escalate the matter further.

Rafi claims he spoke with Peterson about the concerns Morris raised and that Peterson offered to apologize to Morris. When he told Morris about the offer to apologize she turned and walked away, “abruptly ending the conversation.”

Morris did not respond to Peterson's countersuit filed in April by the deadline and was “noted in default” on May 24.

“She is now deemed to admit the truth of all of the allegations made in the counter claim unless she brings a motion to set aside the noting in default,” Peterson's lawyer Lisa Talbot said. “She has taken no steps to do so.”

Her lawyer Rocco Achampong says a response to the counterclaim is forthcoming.

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“There are a number of motions being contemplated, chief of which is to strike their counterclaim. As soon as the other side provides their dates for a motion to be argued on that point, we will be in court.”

The Star was unable to reach Morris by email or at her home Thursday.

With files from Alex Ballingall