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The Indiana Daily Student

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Former IU rower Katlin Beck alleges poor medical treatment in ESPN interview

Sports Filler

Former IU rower Katlin Beck told ESPN’s Outside the Lines in a report that aired Sunday that IU attempted to cover up her injuries and forced her to practice despite pain.

Beck was a part of the IU rowing team during the 2013-14 season.

Beck joined the rowing team in 2013 but she told ESPN that after two months she began to experience severe back pain.

“I got to a point where I could not walk anymore,” Beck told ESPN. “If I can’t even walk to class, what does that mean for my life?”

Beck also told ESPN that IU Coach Steve Peterson and the staff viewed the injured rowers as “wimps.” She referenced a particular meeting with Peterson when he said he didn’t have room for injured people on his team. Beck said Peterson gave them an ultimatum by saying the injured girls needed to go practice with the team or hit the road. Peterson declined to interview with ESPN for the story.

In a statement provided to the Indiana Daily Student on Tuesday, IU Athletics expressed confidence that IU provides quality medical care to students, but added that they would not comment on specific medical cases.

"Any concern relative to medical or other treatment that has been brought to our attention has been immediately addressed with the highest level of seriousness and thoroughness, and we will continue to do so with any concerns raised with us," the statement said.

Beck said she sought a lot of medical advice on her injury, both within and outside the IU program. The first doctor from IU said her injury was only a muscular problem, but it failed to get better after the doctor’s advice.

The second IU doctor notified Beck that she had two spinal fractures, three bulging discs and bone deterioration and advised a back brace as a remedy. The third and final doctor disregarded the previous doctor’s diagnosis and told Beck the pain was from hamstring injuries.

Lastly, Beck went to see an independent doctor, Dr. Greg Poulter. Poulter informed Beck that her upper body was hardly connected to her lower body.

“Her upper body is no longer firmly connected to her lower body,” Poulter told Outside the Lines. “There’s just scar tissue holding that together.”

Beck said the medical director for IU, Andy Hipskind, did not recommend that Beck stop rowing despite advice to do so from Poulter.

The Beck story was part of a series that Outside the Lines covered Sunday morning. Former IU Coach Kevin Wilson and the football program were also featured on OTL and were accused of forcing players to play through serious injuries. 

“I just want them to have accountability and say, ‘We screwed up. We are not doing a good job of caring for our athletes,’” Beck told ESPN.

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