Former major-leaguer Omar Vizquel was sued in U.S. District Court after being accused of sexual harassment while he was the manager of the White Sox’ Double-A Birmingham (Alabama) affiliate, according to reports.
The 25-year-old autistic man says that while he was a bat boy for the team, Vizquel used “sexually aggressive behavior,” including exposing himself and demanding that the man wash his back.
According to the lawsuit, the man was “humiliated, intimidated, and frightened of what would happen if he disobeyed” and complied with Vizquel’s demand. The lawsuit accuses the Sox and Barons of violating the Americans With Disabilities Act and seeks back pay and damages.
The Sox said in a statement: “After first learning of an alleged incident in late August 2019, the Chicago White Sox conducted an internal investigation that resulted in the termination of the organization’s relationship with Omar Vizquel. Because this is active litigation, at this time the White Sox will not comment further regarding the allegations.”
