NYT article claims Nims Purja sexually harassed other climbers » Explorersweb

Two women have publicly accused mountaineer Nirmal Purja of serious sexual misconduct, according to a report by The New York Times.

The story mentions several cases of women being sexually abused in outdoor sports, but the focus of the article is on the allegations against Purja, based on the testimony of experienced climber and former Miss Finland Lotta Hintsa and American doctor April Leonardo. Both describe “experiences in recent years in which he (Purja) kissed them without their consent, made aggressive advances or touched them sexually against their will,” reported The times.

Sexual harassment

In the article, Hintsa recounts an incident of sexual harassment during an alleged business meeting at the Marriott in Kathmandu last year. April Leonardo, a client of Purja, is said to have been constantly sexually harassed during a K2 expedition in 2022.

“It’s not just rockfalls or avalanches that are dangerous for a mountaineer,” said Hintsa. The New York Times.

ExplorersWeb has featured Hintsa in previous articles. She started climbing full-time in 2018 and has made several summer and winter expeditions, most notably to Broad Peak.

Purja responded through his lawyers, denying all allegations as “false and defamatory.” We have emailed Purja’s spokesperson for further comment.

Brand impact

The women claim they raised their voices so that others would not have to go through similar experiences.

The NYT story not only affects Purja personally, but also his valuable brand. Purja owns a mountain guiding company, Elite Exped, and a clothing brand. His name appears on collections by Grivel and Nike, he is part of a very select group of Red Bull athletes, is a member of the prestigious Order of the British Empire and has an honorary doctorate from Loughborough University.

But recently, Purja and Elite Exped have been at the center of several controversies on Everest. Over the past two weeks, several articles in local Nepali media have accused the climber of improperly issuing permits, although Elite Exped confirmed that there was no evidence of wrongdoing.

And this week, Purja claimed on social media that the ropes were cut on the upper slopes of Everest as he was leading a team to the summit. Other outfitters have denied the allegation and an investigation is underway.

More generally, the allegations cast a spotlight on the entire high-altitude mountaineering community. As Hintsa said, a base camp should be a safe starting point to return to from the summit and not pose any additional risk.