A $50-million federal lawsuit filed by Sharon Lewis—a former track standout who now serves as LSU’s associate athletic director for football recruiting and alumni relations—alleges the school withheld raises and subjected her to “verbal abuse” in retaliation for accusing then-coach Les Miles of inappropriate workplace behavior.
According to Kevin McGill and Melinda Deslatte of the Associated Press, Lewis reported racist remarks by Miles, who told her LSU’s athletics department employed “too many black girls.” Lewis also made the school aware of a complaint submitted by a female student, who accused Miles of “getting on top of her” on his office couch. Among other claims, the suit alleges LSU hired a legal team to sweep Miles’ misconduct under the rug including a report of him engaging a student in “explicit sex acts.”
Miles’ attorney Peter Ginsberg has vehemently denied the claims, dismissing the case against Miles and LSU as a “work of fiction eight years in the making.” LSU has been under fire of late for its questionable handling of sexual assault complaints over a period of several years. That includes multiple rape allegations against former star running back Derrius Guice.
In her suit, Lewis claims she arranged—at the behest of executive deputy athletic director Verge Ausberry—interviews with female students in Miles’ office late at night, where the former football coach would routinely ask about their sex lives. Lewis says the fallout from her whistleblowing was so severe she eventually suffered a mental breakdown, unable to cope with what had become a toxic work environment.
Miles, 67, was fired from the University of Kansas shortly after reports surfaced of his alleged behavior at LSU. Per AP, multiple LSU officials refused to testify on the scandal at a legislative hearing held Thursday in Baton Rouge.
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