Editor's Note: This story includes mention of sexual violence or assault.
Former Indiana men’s basketball players Haris Mujezinovic and Charlie Miller filed a class action lawsuit against IU on Tuesday, alleging the university “systemically mishandled” players’ complaints of sexual misconduct from Brad Bomba Sr., who served as a physician for the team.
“Despite its knowledge of these routine, pervasive, repeated sexual assaults, IU systemically mishandled and turned a blind eye to Hoosier men’s basketball players’ complaints of Dr. Bomba, Sr.’s sexual misconduct, contrary to federal regulations,” the lawsuit reads.
Likely over 100 student athletes were subjected to inappropriate invasive examinations from Bomba during his time as team physician, the lawsuit says.
IU is currently investigating allegations made in a letter sent to the university in September by a former student-athlete. Legal counsel later confirmed the student was Mujezinovic.
Kathleen DeLaney, who represents Miller and Mujezinovic, told the IDS in the interview that she has had minimal contact with IU’s general counsel.
“I’m skeptical about the outside investigation,” DeLaney said.
Bomba acted as team physician from 1979 into the late 90s and was inducted into the IU Athletics Hall of Fame in 1994. He was also team physician under Bob Knight on the 1984 Olympic basketball team.
“I’m standing up for all student athletes who have suffered abuse,” Mujezinovic said in the lawsuit. “I hope that more of our former teammates will speak out and share their stories publicly.”
Mujezinovic played at IU for two seasons from 1995-97, and Miller played four seasons from 1994-98. Both played over 30 games in every season with IU.
“I will never understand why IU leadership did nothing to protect us from what I now understand was sexual abuse,” Miller said in the lawsuit.
Mujezinovic and Miller state in the lawsuit they were required to undergo a physical examination with Bomba each season. The lawsuit goes on to say that IU head men’s basketball trainer Tim Garl assigned players to Bomba and his son, Brad Bomba Jr.
Garl was hired at Indiana in 1981 and has remained in the same position.
The lawsuit also alleges that former IU men’s basketball head coach Bob Knight and other team and university staff were likely aware of Bomba’s practices.
IU Executive Director of Media Relations Mark Bode did not issue a new statement but did refer the IDS to the previous Sept. 11 statement from IU. An Indiana Athletics spokesperson did the same when the IDS requested for comment on Garl’s behalf.
UPDATE: This story has been updated to include the lawsuit’s estimate of affected victims, allegations extending to negligence from Bob Knight and other staffers, a statement from an IU Athletics spokesperson, and details from an interview with Kathleen DeLaney.
1 - Class Action Complaint Against Indiana University by marnmeador on Scribd
