A shocking line of allegations were made last week against one of the biggest figures in Michigan sports history.
Matt Schembechler, the son of former Michigan Wolverines head coach Bo Schembechler, held a press conference during which he and two former Michigan players in Gilvanni Johnson and David Kwiatkowski allege that their father and coach ignored their having suffered sexual abuse at the hands of disgraced former doctor Robert Anderson.
Members of the Schembechler family including Bo’s widowed wife Cathy as well as son Shemy and daughter-in-law Megan have responded to the allegations in a letter:
In a letter released by the family, Bo Schembechler's wife Cathy, son Shemy and daughter-in-law Megan respond to allegations made last week by Matt Schembechler, who said he told his father about being abused by former Michigan doctor Robert Anderson at the age of 10.
— Austin Meek (@byAustinMeek) June 15, 2021
"Bo never spoke to any of us about inappropriate behavior by Dr. Anderson," the letter says. "To the contrary, in our steadfast opinion, Bo was not aware of such conduct and assumed that any procedures were medically appropriate."
— Austin Meek (@byAustinMeek) June 15, 2021
The letter points out that Matt Schembechler's assertions were not included in the WilmerHale report and notes the "sad reality that one of our family members has been for decades estranged from us."
— Austin Meek (@byAustinMeek) June 15, 2021
“It is telling to us that Bo never spoke to any of us about inappropriate behavior by Dr. Anderson,” Cathy Schembechler, Bo’s second wife; his son, Glenn “Shemy” Schembechler III and Shemy’s wife, Megan, said in a statement issued through a spokesperson. “To the contrary, in our steadfast opinion, Bo was not aware of such conduct and assumed that any procedures were medically appropriate. As he demonstrated at many points in his career and to us as a family, Bo had a clear and compelling sense of right and wrong: he would not have tolerated misconduct, especially toward any of his players, family members, coaches or to anyone associated with the University of Michigan’s football program. If Bo had known of inappropriate conduct, we are certain that he would have stopped it immediately, reported it, and had Dr. Anderson removed from the University.”
Tomorrow, a press conference is scheduled outside of Michigan Stadium during which a reported 40 former players will bring similar allegations against the late Michigan coach, who died in 2008.
– – Quotes via Detroit Free Press Link – –
