Stay up to date with notifications from TheĀ Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Northwestern joins long list of American universities with a scandal in athletics

Northwestern has been added to a long list of American universities to face a scandal in athletics and may eventually join the trend of making large payouts following allegations of sexual abuse

The Associated Press
Tuesday 18 July 2023 18:01 EDT
Northwestern Fitzgerald Football
Northwestern Fitzgerald Football (Copyright 2021 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Your support helps us to tell the story

From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.

At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.

The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.

Your support makes all the difference.

Northwestern has been added to a long list of American universities to face a scandal in athletics and may eventually join the trend of making large payouts following allegations of sexual abuse.

A former Wildcats football player filed the first lawsuit against Pat Fitzgerald and members of the schoolā€™s leadership Tuesday, seeking damages stemming from a hazing scandal that cost the former football coach his job.

Here is a look at other schools that have had sexual-related scandals in athletics:

ā€” The University of Michigan last year had a financial payout of $490 million for more than 1,000 people who say they were sexually assaulted by the late sports doctor Robert Anderson.

ā€” Ohio State University agreed in 2020 to more than $46 million in settlements for more than 185 people who alleged sexual abuse from team doctor Richard Strauss.

ā€” Dartmouth College in New Hampshire announced in 2019 that it had settled a federal lawsuit for $14 million with nine women who sued the Ivy League school over allegations that it ignored years of harassment and assault by former psychology department professors.

ā€” Michigan State Universityā€™s $500 million agreement in 2018 was to settle claims of more than 300 women and girls who said they were assaulted by Larry Nassar, who also was a doctor for USA Gymnastics.

ā€” Baylor University in Texas settled a federal Title IX lawsuit in 2018 that was brought by a former volleyball player who alleged that she was drugged and gang-raped by at least four football players in 2012. The terms of the settlement with the woman, identified in court papers only as Jane Doe, were not disclosed.

ā€” Penn State University paid out more than $100 million in 2017 to more than 40 people who said they were sexually abused by former assistant football coach Jerry Sandusky.

___

AP college football: https://apnews.com/hub/college-football and https://twitter.com/ap_top25

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in