Indiana Votes to Protect Athletes
A statement of rights designed to protect Indiana University athletes from abuse by their coaches was narrowly passed by the Bloomington Faculty Council, with some members singling out basketball Coach Bob Knight as a “flagrant” offender.
Indiana athletes “have been hit, pushed, shoved and . . . they have been molested,” sociology Professor Whitney Pope said before the 18-16 vote favoring the rights statement.
Other professors spoke out against alleged mistreatment of athletes, but Knight was the only coach mentioned for verbally abusing athletes.
Elmus Wicker, an economics professor, said Knight subjects athletes to “humiliation of the worst kind” before thousands of viewers and fans at Indiana basketball games.
“I see no evidence that anyone has ever attempted to discipline Bobby Knight’s behavior, and that’s the reason we need a resolution like this,” Wicker said.
Knight was defended by Kurt Zorn, professor of public and environmental affairs. Zorn said the faculty council was “spending a lot of time dealing with things it shouldn’t be talking about” by trying to pass a code of conduct for coaches--not a statement of student rights.
“A student who joins an athletic team--especially a Bobby Knight team--has a pretty damn good idea what he’s getting into,” Zorn said.
Knight was not available for comment.
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