Former Ohio State assistant wrestling coach and current United States Congressman Jim Jordan turned a blind eye to sexual abuse committed by the deceased Dr. Richard Strauss, according to allegations NBC News reported Tuesday.
The university announced in April an investigation into Dr. Strauss, who died in 2005, revolving around allegations he abused athletes while serving as a team doctor from the 1970s to late 1990s.
Jordan coached at Ohio State from 1986 to 1994 and has previously denied knowing anything of the abuse. Former wrestlers disagree.
Dunyasha Yetts, who wrestled at Ohio State in 1993 and 1994, said he and others told Jordan about Strauss.
“I remember I had a thumb injury and went into Strauss’ office and he started pulling down my wrestling shorts,” he said. “I’m like, what the f--- are you doing? And I went out and told Russ and Jim what happened. I was not having it. They went in and talked to Strauss.”
Yetts said he and his teammates talked to Jordan numerous times about Strauss.
“For God’s sake, Strauss’s locker was right next to Jordan’s and Jordan even said he’d kill him if he tried anything with him,” Yetts said.
Michael DiSabato, whose allegations prompted the initial investigation into Dr. Strauss, also had words for Jordan.
“I considered Jim Jordan a friend,” DiSabato said. “But at the end of the day, he is absolutely lying if he says he doesn’t know what was going on.”
Former head coach Russ Hellickson allegedly said in a recent video recorded by DiSabato that he told Strauss he was being too "hands on" with patients.
Wednesday, Jordan denied allegations he knew of Strauss' abuse and that he ducked university investigators' request for an interview.
“It’s not true,” Jordan told Politico. “I never knew about any type of abuse. If I did, I would have done something about it. And look, if there are people who are abused, then that’s terrible and we want justice to happen.”
Speaking later at a rally in Fremont, Jordan also said he contacted Capitol Police after receiving a "strange" email from DiSabato at 4 a.m.
