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Schembechler son, players say Michigan coach knew of abuse - Fox News
Jun 10, 2021 1 min, 56 secs

One of legendary University of Michigan football coach Bo Schembechler’s sons and two of his former players described in detail Thursday how they were molested by the team's longtime doctor and how Schembechler turned a blind eye when they told him about the abuse, telling one to "toughen up" and punching his son in anger.

Matt Schembechler, 62, and former Wolverines players Daniel Kwiatkowski and Gilvanni Johnson told similar stories about how Dr.

They also talked about how Bo Schembechler, a Michigan icon whose statue stands outside a university building that bears his name, refused to protect them and allowed Anderson to continue abusing players and other patients for years.

Anderson "was supported by a culture that placed the reputation of the university above the health and safety of the students," Matt Schembechler said during a news conference in the Detroit suburb of Novi.

Anderson was part of the University of Michigan team," he continued.

The three are among hundreds of men who were allegedly abused by Anderson during his nearly four decades working for the university — a period in which he also treated staffers, their families and other patients.

Kwiatkowski and Johnson said it was common knowledge among their teammates that Anderson abused players during the physicals they had to get from him, which Johnson said players jokingly referred to as "seeing Dr.

"Bo promised them that if I attended the University of Michigan and played football that Bo would be a father to me and look after me like I was family," Kwiatkowski said, referring to his parents.

Matt Schembechler, 62, said Anderson abused him during a 1969 physical that he needed to get in order to play youth football.

A report commissioned by the university and released last month found that Bo Schembechler and other officials were aware of complaints about Anderson but he was allowed to remain at the school for decades.

"Because of my experience at Michigan, I did not trust doctors," Johnson said, adding that he "had trust issues, relationship issues and intimacy issues.".

The university said in a statement Thursday that it is committed to resolving claims made by Anderson's victims and is continuing confidential mediation ordered by a judge.

Robert Anderson, who left the University 17 years ago and died 13 years ago," the school said in its statement, which didn't mention Bo Schembechler once.

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