Softball players at the University of Louisiana have filed a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights alleging gender discrimination, a year after its head coach Mike Lotief was fired over abusive behavior.
Nine former players filed the federal Title IX complaint with a wide range of allegations, saying that the university didn’t properly investigate various incidents ranging from the use of racist language by fellow players to sexual harassment.
The players also alleged the University of not hiring proper medical training staff and not maintaining a softball field, while indulging in gender-based discriminatory practices in violation of Title IX rights.
“They were locked out of their facilities; they were denied places on the team. Many of them were told their scholarships would no longer be valid,” Allison Jones, an attorney representing the players, said.
“There is just a whole slew of things that were retaliatory against these young women, all because they wanted to support their coach who was supporting them in Title IX violations.”
Meanwhile, the university has disputed the allegations terming them false and baseless, saying it has been fully complying with the law, and all the accusations have been effectively investigated.
“The University takes Title IX, gender equity, and discrimination claims seriously, but will strongly defend itself from patently false and baseless allegations,” the university statement said.
“The issues of the College of Business are wholly unrelated to the assertions raised by a few Lotief-era players. The only connection between these claims is the same Shreveport lawyer. Michael Lotief’s termination was not related to gender equity claims. Following allegations by female students and employees, Lotief was terminated in 2017.”
The university has further said that it would strongly defend its case before the Education Department.
