Former Hawkeye football players add additional coach to discrimination lawsuit

Hunter
04/19/22

Former Iowa Hawkeye football players who are suing the school and members of the coaching staff for racial discrimination and harassment have added another coach to the list of defendants.

The Gazette reports that the amended suit now names linebackers coach and assistant defensive coordinator Seth Wallace, and have made additional accusations against head coach Kirk Ferentz, offensive coordinator Brian Ferentz, former conditioning coach Chris Doyle, and athletic director Gary Barta.

The additional accusations are related to discrimination and harassment, failure to provide equal rights and protection, failure to train and supervise staff, and retaliation.

Wallace is accused in the amended suit of discriminating, bullying, demeaning and harassing black players on an almost-daily basis. It accuses the coaches of making derogatory comments in the open during practices and team meetings, in the presence of head coach Kirk Ferentz, other coaches and teammates.

The players are seeking damages and other demands, and have accused the University of Iowa of delay tactics in producing requested documents. The University has denied this, citing the hundreds of thousands of pages involved.

A judge has not yet ruled on the demand for documents relating to the suit, which was brought in November of 2020.

The full article is available at www.thegazette.com