The DOJ found sexual assault and discrimination at UMBC swimming & diving

The GIST: The U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) released findings from its investigation into misconduct in the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (UMBC) swimming & diving program on Monday. The investigation ultimately affirmed that the school failed to enforce Title IX protections amidst known abusive and discriminatory practices by then–coach Chad Cradock. Horrible.

The findings: The DOJ confirmed that Cradock fostered a “hostile environment based on sex,” which included sexually assaulting male athletes, as well as degrading and discriminating against female athletes. Disgusting.

• Even worse, the DOJ found that the university knew about the allegations of Cradock’s misconduct as early as 2015 but failed to take action for five years, which enabled Cradock to further endanger student-athletes.

• UMBC’s athletic department also neglected to act on reports of dating violence between teammates from 2016 and 2020 — violence the program’s culture appears to have facilitated.

The fallout: Cradock died by suicide in 2021, but the DOJ is still rightly holding UMBC responsible for its institutional failures. The administration has already started implementing changes to prioritize and promote athlete safety, including updating reporting mechanisms and committing to some financial restitution, plus they’ve promised to collaborate with the DOJ on further reforms.

Zooming out: This is yet another example of athlete abuse being compounded by institutional neglect. Student-athletes are uniquely vulnerable to abuse at the hands of coaches and athletic staff, making it crucial for schools to go above and beyond to ensure players’ well-being. Athletes certainly deserve better.