Richard Strauss was known to regularly shower naked with student athletes. During his examinations, he is accused of fondling, touching, groping the testicles and penis, and even anal penetration.
Athletes were required to undergo the exams to compete for OSU. Strauss died in 2005. The alleged sexual abuses occurred from the 1970s into the 1990s.
Lawyers accuse numerous coaches and other officials at OSU of ignoring complaints against him for decades, allowing him to continue sexually assaulting male students during his examinations.
Lawyers say that Strauss treated hundreds of student athletes across 14 sports during his career.
According to the lawsuit, a student complained about Strauss in 1978. In the mid-1990s, two wrestlers reported him to the Athletic Director and another student reported him to the head wrestling coach.
In 1997, OSU finally held a hearing in regard to the allegations. Strauss was allegedly allowed to “quietly retire” without discipline.
The class action lawsuit is seeking financial compensation for the victims, as well as a program to stop the sexual abuse of athletes.
The lawsuit does not directly address Jim Jordan, a powerful Republican congressman from Ohio, who is accused by many former wrestlers he coached at OSU of turning a blind eye to the abuse.
Source: Class-action lawsuit filed against OSU due to ‘molestation of countless athletes’