The Dallas-based attorney helped negotiate about $900 million in settlements in cases involving U.S. Olympic and national team gymnasts who were sexually assaulted under the guise of medical exams by sports physician Larry Nassar and by former athletes at Michigan who were victimized by the late Dr. Robert E. Anderson.
A decade after Northwestern was at the center of an attempt to establish the first college athletes union, the university is facing more than a dozen lawsuits across multiple sports with allegations including sexual abuse by teammates as well as racist comments by coaches and race-based assaults. The cases span from 2004 to 2022, and attorneys representing some of the athletes who have already sued say more are coming. Football coach Pat Fitzgerald was fired after 17 seasons.
Fitzgerald, whose attorney says he had no knowledge of hazing in his program, was fired July 10 after initially being suspended two weeks by President Michael Schill following an investigation by a law firm. It found hazing within the program and “significant opportunities” for the coaching staff to know about it
Judie Saunders, an attorney who has worked with Olympic and Division I athletes and specializes in survivors of assault, said she doesn’t see a union helping “in practice” when it comes to player-on-player abuse. “If you are a thriving, good athlete, you are going to get on the good side of the bully, whether it’s the coach, whether it’s the assistant,” Saunders said. “And you’re going to do whatever you can to stay on that good side. That includes meting out the retribution for whistleblowers.”In January 2014, Northwestern quarterback Kain Colter announced plans to form the first union for college athletes.
Education Education Latest News, Education Education Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Source: AP - 🏆 728. / 51 Read more »
Source: ChicagoBreaking - 🏆 521. / 51 Read more »
Wilmette Board Members to Object to Northwestern's Ryan Field RenovationsWilmette residents will have the chance to voice their concerns about proposed renovations at Northwestern University's Ryan Field on Tuesday. The village board plans to object to zoning changes for the new venue, claiming the university is trying to dodge noise regulations. Northwestern has been planning these renovations for nearly two years.
Source: fox32news - 🏆 547. / 51 Read more »