Ohio State leaders knew of team doctor's abuse, investigation finds

 

COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) — An Ohio State University team doctor who died years ago sexually abused at least 177 students over a period of decades so wantonly that students described his examinations as hazing — and their coaches, trainers, other team doctors and school leaders knew about it, according to an investigative report released Friday.

 

Dr. Richard Strauss abused the men from 1979 to 1997 — nearly his entire time at Ohio State — in episodes involving male students from at least 16 sports, plus his work at the student health center and his off-campus clinic, according to findings from a law firm that investigated the accusations, released by the university.

 

At one point he even appealed to various university officials, both formally and informally, to keep his job — including the office of the president at the time, Gordon Gee. A message was left Friday seeking comment from Gee.

 

Strauss killed himself in 2005.

 

This feels very similar to the decades-long cover-up at Michigan State and Penn State. It's amazing that so many adults and leaders of young people would continually put anything over protecting their students/athletes. The sad thing is it is untelling how many more cases there are like this around the country. Too often people put the Universities reputation over doing what's right.

Coward.

I'm happily surprised that no one is on here trying to defend the University.

This is not a defense of OSU or any university. But, usually what happens, is that the university is so big that the institution as a whole must be protected at all cost. Participants and non-participants in such a cover-up or scandal end up "falling on swords" to protect the way the university is viewed outwardly. The reality is that there are usually problems WITH the universities themselves and their culture, but if enough people take the brunt of the blame, the universities survive with minimal damage and penalty. One can only hope that things would change, but in many cases they don't (sometimes lessons are never learned).

I'm happily surprised that no one is on here trying to defend the University.

What is there to possibly defend? The university screwed this up big time. Fortunately, for the university now there is not much they can do since everyone involved is either dead or no longer employed by the university.

This is not a defense of OSU or any university. But, usually what happens, is that the university is so big that the institution as a whole must be protected at all cost. Participants and non-participants in such a cover-up or scandal end up "falling on swords" to protect the way the university is viewed outwardly. The reality is that there are usually problems WITH the universities themselves and their culture, but if enough people take the brunt of the blame, the universities survive with minimal damage and penalty. One can only hope that things would change, but in many cases they don't (sometimes lessons are never learned).

 

I get that to some extent. At the very least he should have been quietly fired and allowed to move on. I don’t understand why OSU would feel the need to protect him.

I get that to some extent. At the very least he should have been quietly fired and allowed to move on. I don’t understand why OSU would feel the need to protect him.

 

I guess they would protect him if it is in the best interest of the university. The legacy is of the most importance.

I guess they would protect him if it is in the best interest of the university. The legacy is of the most importance.

 

I guess what I have trouble understanding is why he is part of any legacy. I see that filing charges and having him arrested would give the school a black eye (even though it would have been the right thing to do,) but firing him, even if he was the only one who knew why, would get rid of him. Drives me crazy to know that this happened, was reported and nothing was done.