Two former members of the Kentucky swim team have filed a lawsuit against the school, former coach Lars Jorgensen, and athletic director Mitch Barnhart, accusing Jorgensen of sexual assaults, including rape, and claiming that the school ignored multiple reports of inappropriate sexual relationships.
The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court, alleges that Jorgensen created a toxic and sexually hostile environment within the swim program, where he preyed on individuals and committed sexual assaults. The plaintiffs, identified as Briggs Alexander and Jane Doe, claim that Jorgensen groomed and sexually assaulted them during their time with the team.
Additionally, the lawsuit states that Jorgensen also assaulted an assistant coach at a staff Christmas party in 2013. It further alleges that former head coach Gary Conelly did not address previous misconduct allegations against Jorgensen during his tenure at Toledo before hiring him at Kentucky.
The university responded by stating that Jorgensen is no longer employed by the school and that they take sexual assault allegations seriously. However, they did not comment on specific personnel matters.
The lawsuit also mentions that the athletic department received reports from a former Toledo assistant coach about Jorgensen's behavior while at the Ohio school. Despite these reports, Kentucky allegedly chose to hire Jorgensen and did not investigate the claims.
Jorgensen resigned last year after being suspended for an NCAA violation, and a settlement was reached between him and the university. SafeSport, an organization that handles allegations of sexual abuse, added Jorgensen to a disciplinary database.
Kentucky emphasized that they review concerns raised by employees and potential employees before making hiring decisions. They stated that the well-being of their employees and students is a top priority and that they take issues of harassment and misconduct seriously.
In cases involving allegations of harassment or misconduct, the university's policy is to report them to the Office for Institutional Equity and Equal Opportunity for review. The university also highlighted that victims or complainants have the option to participate in any investigations related to such matters.
