KATHMANDU, JUNE 5
Lawmaker Rajendra Bajgain has urged the government to ban prominent climber Nirmal "Nims" Purja from entering Nepal. This call comes in the wake of a New York Times article alleging sexual assault by Purja. In the article, Finnish climber Lotta Hintsa and American physician Dr. April Leonardo accuse Purja of sexual misconduct during their expeditions with him.
Speaking at a House of Representatives meeting on June 4, Nepali Congress MP Bajgain stated that Purja has tarnished Nepal's image, not only with these recent allegations but also by accusing Sherpas of cutting ropes on expeditions. Bajgain noted that despite having British citizenship, Purja continues to climb using Nepali citizenship, which he later renounces.
The allegations have sent shockwaves through the global climbing community. Many climbers and organizations have called for action against Purja and urged his sponsors to sever ties with him. Influential figures in the mountaineering community have publicly condemned the alleged behavior, emphasizing the need for zero tolerance for sexual predation.
American guide Adrian Ballinger was one of the first to speak out on social media, stating, "This week one of Everest's biggest new stars, Nirmal Purja (Nimsdai), was credibly accused of sexual assault by multiple women." Ballinger highlighted the importance of addressing such dangers within the mountaineering community.
Renowned climber Kilian Jornet also reacted, pointing out that the male-dominated environment of mountaineering often silences victims. He emphasized the need for a safer and more equal culture in the sport.
American mountaineer Garrett Madison echoed these sentiments, stating, "There are always a lot of firsts on the mountain. This is not one we welcome or can tolerate."
Several expedition operators, including Adventure Consultants, AW Expeditions, and Climbing the Seven Summits, have expressed support for the women making the allegations against Purja. The Women of Mountaineering group also expressed their support for the victims, stating their commitment to changing the gender dynamics in mountaineering.
Following these developments, Osprey Packs, an American outdoor backpack company, terminated their collaboration with Purja. "Osprey is aware of the recent allegations made against mountaineer Nirmal Purja (Nims). He is no longer an Osprey ambassador," the company announced.
Similarly, Nims is also the brand ambassador of the Scarpa. Scarpa World in its social media post mentions, "We recognize the importance of dealing with this circumstance seriously and responsibly, so we wait for developments through the appropriate channels."
Later Scarpa issued a press statement that said the Scapra has temporarily suspended all marketing and promotional activities, both online and offline, associated with the athlete until the situation is fully clarified. "We will monitor the situation closely and adopt business decisions as the matter develops, always in line with our values," it said in the statement.
In contrast, Grivel, an Italian producer of climbing equipment, faced backlash for their handling of the situation. Photographer and climber Emma Svensson, a Grivel brand ambassador, ended her collaboration with the company, criticizing their response to the allegations. Later, she published screenshots of a message from Grivel's CEO in a WhatsApp group consisting of Grivel's brand ambassadors, along with her reply and her announcement ending the collaboration.
Grivel has since then removed all pictures of Nims and products with his name from their Instagram account. In a reply to a comment to its post in Instagram on June 6, Grivel said that it has ceased its collaboration with Nims. "Grivel has seen the New York Times article "For Female Climbers, Dangers Go Beyond Avalanches and Storms" and is treating these accusations with the utmost seriousness. Effective immediately, we are suspending the collaboration with Nirmal Purja (Nims) and ceasing the promotion and sale of related special products.
These are just a few of the many voices speaking out about their experiences in the mountains and condemning the sexual abuse.
In the NYT article, Hintsa, a former Miss Finland, recounted an incident in the Kathmandu Marriot Hotel (Naxal) suite in March 2023, where Purja allegedly kissed her without warning, made unwanted and aggressive physical advances and then sexually assaulted her. Dr. Leonardo accused Purja of forcefully touching and kissing her multiple times during an expedition to K2.
Purja has denied these allegations through his lawyer and later in a statement posted on Instagram. Despite his denials, his reputation continues to suffer. Known for his record-breaking climbs and viral photos of traffic in Mt Everest, Purja's recent controversies have overshadowed his achievements.
Purja is not a new name to controversies.
Back in September 2022, a massive explosion occurred in the house that served as the headquarters for Purja's Elite Expedition in Nepal, resulting in the deaths of three people. Purja was accused of fleeing to the UK without paying compensation for the damages to the house, which was destroyed in the blast caused by an oxygen canister stored in the Elite Expedition office.
In addition to the recent assault allegations, Purja has faced accusations of flouting mountaineering and aviation rules in Nepal. Recently, his expedition company was accused of illegally leading his clients to climb to Everest Camp III. He has also been accused of taking an unauthorized helicopter flight to Camp II. Except for emergency rescue evacuations, helicopter flight above the Everest Base Camp has been banned and the Civil Aviation Authority of Nepal suspended the helicopter pilot involved. The CAAN also denied Purja a permit for skydiving in the Everest region citing serious issues of aviation safety.
Purja's claim that ropes above the Balcony area on Everest were cut to prevent him from summiting was also disputed by the Department of Tourism, which announced an investigation into his allegations.
As the investigation into these various claims continues, the once-celebrated climber finds himself at the center of mounting controversy.
Eds: Updates statements of suspension of collaborations by Scarpa, Grivel
