CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) — Lawyers representing over 15 Northwestern University athletes said they plan to file a lawsuit in the near future over allegations that the athletes were subjected to humiliating hazing during their years in college.
Some of the former players spoke at a news conference in River North Wednesday morning, where they appeared alongside their lawyers: Ben Crump, Steve Levin and Margaret Battersby Black.
Former Northwestern University football player Lloyd Gates said he was among those put through degrading hazing rituals, which involved sexual abuse. He said all athletes, no matter what their roles in the hazing, were victims.
“The abuse and hazing was so entrenched in the Northwestern football culture that even some of our coaches took part in it,” Gates said.
He continued: “We were physically and emotionally beaten down and some players have contemplated suicide, as a result.”
Former football player Tom Carnifax spoke up on behalf of those who were victims of hazing.
“I spent the last four years hating myself and what I went through here, and this is the opportunity to possibly make a difference,” he said.
Civil rights attorney Ben Crump said that his clients — which exceed a dozen people — include former football, baseball and women’s softball players at NU.
“It is a toxic culture that was rampant in the athletic department at Northwestern University,” Crump said.
Crump said some of the former athletes were under 18 years old when they were subjected to the alleged abuse. He promised to protect any former college athlete who comes forward with hazing or sexual abuse allegations.
“Please come forward and help end this toxic culture because, we don’t believe it’s just at Northwestern,” he said. “We believe it’s at many colleges and universities.”
Attorney Steve Levin said lawyers are interviewing as many as 100 former athletes.
“Every day we find out more details, more horrific tales, more things that are going to be part of a lawsuit,” Levin said.
Levin said the lawsuit will be filed in the “reasonable near future.”
Former Northwestern football player Simba Short has a message to other former and current athletes at Northwestern: Don’t live in fear.
“We’re here for you,” he said. “People are here for you. You’re not alone.”
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