According to a report from The Detroit News, legendary Michigan head football coach Bo Schembechler knew about the alleged sexual abuse of Dr. Robert E. Anderson, according to a federal lawsuit that was filed on Thursday.
A former UM student told Schembechler about Anderson’s alleged abuse in 1982 and 1983 after seeing the late doctor for migraines, according to the suit that was among 52 others filed against UM and the Board of Regents in U.S. District Court in Detroit. Schembechler allegedly sent the student to former UM Athletic Director Donald Canham.
“The revelations involving the failure to act on the part of Bo Schembechler are troubling but should not be surprising,” said Okemos-based lawyer Jamie White, who is part of the team of lawyers filing the lawsuits. “We have seen this trend play out with institutions all over the country, including but not limited to (Penn State University Coach Joe) Paterno, leadership in the Catholic Church and Boy Scouts of America, and most recently Michigan State University.”
“The Schembechler revelations are going to be disturbing to many but the university will not heal and be able to move forward from this horrific period until there is a complete accounting of what went wrong,” added White, who also represented 60 accusers of serial sex abuser Larry Nassar, a former MSU sports doctor.
The man who is alleging that he told Schembechler about Anderson was a UM student from 1981 to 1983 who was an announcer during Wolverine football games, according to the lawsuit.
He filed his allegations as a John Doe. But White said he planned to reveal his identity during a virtual press conference late Thursday morning. He was to be joined by another man who is also alleging abuse by Anderson, who has been accused by hundreds of others.
UM officials did not immediately respond to a request comment.
To read the rest of the report from The Detroit News, please click here.
