Ohio State: 100 former students report sex misconduct by late doctor

COLUMBUS, Ohio — More than 100 former students have provided firsthand accounts of sexual misconduct by the nowdead Ohio State University team physician at the center of an ongoing investigation, the university said Friday.

Over 200 former students and university employees have been confidentially interviewed by independent investigators reviewing allegations against Richard Strauss involving male athletes from 14 sports as well as his work at the student health center and his off-campus medical office, University President Michael Drake said.

Those allegations range from 1979-97, during most of Strauss’ two decades on the faculty and medical staff. Many of the accusers who have spoken publicly allege Strauss groped them or conducted unnecessary genital exams.

“We are grateful to those who have come forward and remain deeply concerned for anyone who may have been affected by Dr. Strauss’ actions,” Drake said. “We remain steadfastly committed to uncovering the truth.”

Ohio State has urged anyone with information to contact the Seattle-based law firm Perkins Coie’s investigators, who are looking into the allegations, what university officials knew and how they responded to any concerns about Strauss. They also are reviewing whether Strauss examined high school students.

The university announced the investigation in April after allegations about Strauss were brought forward this year.

The school said investigators are accepting anonymous reports and noted that they aren’t proactively reaching out to potential victims because they want to avoid retraumatizing anyone. The university said investigators plan 100 or more interviews. Those who say they’ve been interviewed include wrestlers who say they were groped during physicals and a former student who says he witnessed and experienced sexual abuse in one day while working at Strauss’ off-campus medical office in the mid-1990s.

Also interviewed was Republican U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, who denies some wrestlers’ claims that he knew about abuse when he was an assistant coach at Ohio State from 1987-95.

The head coach then, Russ Hellickson, similarly has said he would have reported any abuse if he had been aware of it.