05
April
2018
|
07:35 AM
America/New_York

Investigation underway into allegations of sexual misconduct against former wrestling team physician

Editor's note: An earlier version of this story erroneously referred to Richard Strauss as a former wrestling trainer.

COLUMBUS, Ohio – The Ohio State University today announced that an investigation is underway into allegations of sexual misconduct that have recently come forward regarding a former wrestling team physician, Dr. Richard Strauss.

Law enforcement has been notified, and the attorney general has committed the resources of the Bureau of Criminal Investigation to assist law enforcement should it be needed.

At the request of the university, the attorney general also appointed an outside, independent investigator, Bricker & Eckler LLP. The firm is charged with conducting a comprehensive investigation of each and every allegation. The allegations include incidents of sexual misconduct from the mid-1970s through the late 1990s regarding Dr. Strauss’ behavior with student-athletes and other acts of sexual misconduct.

The investigation includes outreach to former student-athletes, coaches and others who may have been affected or may have had knowledge of these alleged incidents. Dr. Strauss’ exact dates of service in his role as a wrestling team physician are not precisely known at this time. The best available information is that he served in this role between the mid-1970s and the late 1990s. Making this determination precisely will be a part of the investigation. Dr. Strauss died in 2005.

Ohio State actively promotes a safe and healthy campus climate for students, faculty, staff and visitors. The university does not tolerate sexual misconduct and is committed to advancing a culture of civility and respect.

Ohio State will report the outcome of the investigation publicly upon its completion.

If anyone has experienced any form of sexual misconduct while enrolled at Ohio State, and the incident involved another student or university employee, they are encouraged to report to the Office of University Compliance and Integrity, our anonymous reporting service Ethicspoint or law enforcement. If anyone has experienced any form of sexual misconduct at any point outside of Ohio State, please contact local law enforcement.

Additional resources include:

  • If you reside in the Columbus, Ohio, area, advocates from the Sexual Assault Response Network of Central Ohio (SARNCO) can assist you in reporting, explain the investigation process and accompany you to any meeting. SARNCO’s confidential, 24/7 support hotline is 614-267-7020.
  • If you do not reside in the Columbus area, you can contact the RAINN National Sexual Assault Hotline, a confidential, 24/7 resource, at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673). You can also visit the website to chat live with a representative. Advocates will help you find a resource in your community.