Ok this is a lot to unpack and Michigan is burying this story in the media (or the media is burying it for MI.)
Report: Bo Schembechler, Michigan assistants downplayed signs of abuse from former doctor
18
The 240-page report had some grotesque details on Dr. Robert Anderson’s actions at Michigan.
By Anthony Broome@anthonytbroome May 11, 2021, 3:34pm CDT
Editor’s Note: Some of the details mentioned in this story are graphic and upsetting. Please be advised before moving forward.
The University of Michigan continues to come under fire for its handling of reports of sexual abuse from former school doctor Robert Anderson. The WilmerHale law firm released a lengthy and detailed report on Tuesday afternoon that further illustrates how Michigan handled allegations of abuse during Anderson’s employment from 1966 to 2003.
U-M hired WilmerHale last spring to run an investigation of the allegations against Anderson. The firm interviewed over 300 former patients and 200-plus employees during its investigation as they put together their report. The findings confirmed that Anderson was involved in a large amount of sexual misconduct on the job and that people in positions of power failed to stop it from happening.
Anderson passed away in 2008, long before any of the claims were made public.
“We also learned of more than a dozen additional instances in which Athletic Department personnel heard jokes or rumors about Dr. Anderson’s examinations, some of which highlighted Dr. Anderson’s propensity for performing sensitive examinations for no apparent medically appropriate reason,” the report states. “Yet no one in the Athletic Department appears to have recognized what they heard as indicative of abuse or initiated any inquiries into Dr. Anderson’s conduct.”
Among the university employees that were allegedly told about Anderson’s misconduct was football coach Bo Schembechler. The report states that former student workers and players with the program informed him of their discomfort with Anderson’s treatment methods.
Here are a few excerpts from the 240-page report that detail some of the findings of the Anderson cases:
The current leadership at the university was not allowed to review or look over any of the law firm’s findings before the release of the report on Tuesday.
The Board of Regents and president Mark Schlissel released a statement as the report was released:
The son of legendary Michigan football coach Bo Schembechler will share with the public that he is among those sexually abused by former team doctor Robert Anderson.
And he will tell the world about his father's "failure to protect him and other athletes," according to a news release.
During a Thursday news conference, Matt Schembechler will be joined by his attorney and two former Michigan players to speak about their experiences.
Matt Schembechler was one of three sons that Bo's first wife, Millie, had from a previous relationship and was adopted by Bo once the couple married in 1968.
According to the news release, Schembechler will "set the record straight regarding his own abuse" by Anderson and discuss what his father did and did not do in response.
The University of Michigan commissioned an investigation conducted by the law firm WilmerHale that concluded that Anderson's misconduct was reported "several times between 1978 and 1981," but that a "senior University administrator ... did not take appropriate action."
Also joining Schembechler at the news conference will be Daniel Kwiatkowski, a Michigan offensive lineman from 1977-79, and Gilvanni Johnson, a wide receiver from 1982-86 who also played for the Detroit Lions in 1987. According to the news release, Kwiatkowski was abused by Anderson four times and Johnson was assaulted 15 times. Both players were anonymous sources in the WilmerHale report.
The news release said Kwiatkowski was first assaulted during his first team physical in 1977, and when he reported the conduct to his coach, Schembechler said Kwiatkowski should "toughen up."
According to the news release, Johnson told his coach he was assaulted by Anderson during his first physical in 1982, but after Schembechler told he would address it with the medical staff, no changes were made."
Last week, current Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh defended his former coach's reputation when asked about the Anderson situation at a football camp at Ferris State.
"I can tell you this," Harbaugh said. "Bo Schembechler ... there was nothing that I saw in the times when I was a kid here, my dad was on staff or when I played here ... he never sat on anything. He never procrastinated on anything. He took care of it before the sun went down. That's the Bo Schembechler that I know. There's nothing that ever was swept under the rug or ignored. He addressed everything in a timely fashion. That's the Bo Schembechler that I knew."
Bo Schembechler died in 2006. Anderson died two years later.
Report: Bo Schembechler, Michigan assistants downplayed signs of abuse from former doctor
18
The 240-page report had some grotesque details on Dr. Robert Anderson’s actions at Michigan.
By Anthony Broome@anthonytbroome May 11, 2021, 3:34pm CDT
Editor’s Note: Some of the details mentioned in this story are graphic and upsetting. Please be advised before moving forward.
The University of Michigan continues to come under fire for its handling of reports of sexual abuse from former school doctor Robert Anderson. The WilmerHale law firm released a lengthy and detailed report on Tuesday afternoon that further illustrates how Michigan handled allegations of abuse during Anderson’s employment from 1966 to 2003.
U-M hired WilmerHale last spring to run an investigation of the allegations against Anderson. The firm interviewed over 300 former patients and 200-plus employees during its investigation as they put together their report. The findings confirmed that Anderson was involved in a large amount of sexual misconduct on the job and that people in positions of power failed to stop it from happening.
Anderson passed away in 2008, long before any of the claims were made public.
“We also learned of more than a dozen additional instances in which Athletic Department personnel heard jokes or rumors about Dr. Anderson’s examinations, some of which highlighted Dr. Anderson’s propensity for performing sensitive examinations for no apparent medically appropriate reason,” the report states. “Yet no one in the Athletic Department appears to have recognized what they heard as indicative of abuse or initiated any inquiries into Dr. Anderson’s conduct.”
Among the university employees that were allegedly told about Anderson’s misconduct was football coach Bo Schembechler. The report states that former student workers and players with the program informed him of their discomfort with Anderson’s treatment methods.
Here are a few excerpts from the 240-page report that detail some of the findings of the Anderson cases:
The current leadership at the university was not allowed to review or look over any of the law firm’s findings before the release of the report on Tuesday.
The Board of Regents and president Mark Schlissel released a statement as the report was released:
The son of legendary Michigan football coach Bo Schembechler will share with the public that he is among those sexually abused by former team doctor Robert Anderson.
And he will tell the world about his father's "failure to protect him and other athletes," according to a news release.
During a Thursday news conference, Matt Schembechler will be joined by his attorney and two former Michigan players to speak about their experiences.
Matt Schembechler was one of three sons that Bo's first wife, Millie, had from a previous relationship and was adopted by Bo once the couple married in 1968.
According to the news release, Schembechler will "set the record straight regarding his own abuse" by Anderson and discuss what his father did and did not do in response.
The University of Michigan commissioned an investigation conducted by the law firm WilmerHale that concluded that Anderson's misconduct was reported "several times between 1978 and 1981," but that a "senior University administrator ... did not take appropriate action."
Also joining Schembechler at the news conference will be Daniel Kwiatkowski, a Michigan offensive lineman from 1977-79, and Gilvanni Johnson, a wide receiver from 1982-86 who also played for the Detroit Lions in 1987. According to the news release, Kwiatkowski was abused by Anderson four times and Johnson was assaulted 15 times. Both players were anonymous sources in the WilmerHale report.
The news release said Kwiatkowski was first assaulted during his first team physical in 1977, and when he reported the conduct to his coach, Schembechler said Kwiatkowski should "toughen up."
According to the news release, Johnson told his coach he was assaulted by Anderson during his first physical in 1982, but after Schembechler told he would address it with the medical staff, no changes were made."
Last week, current Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh defended his former coach's reputation when asked about the Anderson situation at a football camp at Ferris State.
"I can tell you this," Harbaugh said. "Bo Schembechler ... there was nothing that I saw in the times when I was a kid here, my dad was on staff or when I played here ... he never sat on anything. He never procrastinated on anything. He took care of it before the sun went down. That's the Bo Schembechler that I know. There's nothing that ever was swept under the rug or ignored. He addressed everything in a timely fashion. That's the Bo Schembechler that I knew."
Bo Schembechler died in 2006. Anderson died two years later.
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