ANN ARBOR, Mich. – More people are coming forward alleging abuse by a former doctor at the University of Michigan.
Doctor Robert E. Anderson died in 2008, but between 1963 and 2003 he saw countless athletes and many of them are continuing to contact the university with complaints of abuse. There are also new allegations that accuse Anderson of helping young men avoid the Vietnam War in exchange for sexual favors.
Three former wrestlers spoke at a press conference on Thursday, including whistleblower Tad Deluca, Thomas Evashevski and Andy Hrovat. Hrovat, an Olympian, was the first victim to share his story about Anderson publicly. On Friday the number of abuse cases against Anderson reported to the University of Michigan hotline reached more than 100.
Deluca said he was inspired in early 2018 by the women who came forward against former Michigan State doctor Larry Nassar.
READ: ‘We will hold the University of Michigan accountable,’ says lawyer of Dr. Anderson victims
Deluca said he was inspired in early 2018 by the women who came forward against former Michigan State doctor Larry Nassar. He said he wrote two letters alerting the university but was ignored. He said he wrote one in 2018 to Athletic Director Warde Manuel and one back in 1975 to his wrestling coach, Bill Johannesen.
He said he was kicked off the team, had his scholarship revoked and the coach read embarrassing excerpts from the letter to the rest of the team. Johannesen has denied these claims and said Deluca was dismissed for missing practices.
Three seperate men have reached out to the Detroit Free Press to allege that Anderson was widely known in the late 60s and would offer letters to men saying they were gay to get them out of the Vietnam War. In return, those men were allegedly expected to watch or perform sex acts.
Two school districts were looking into the possibility that Anderson had performed physicals for students. The Ann Arbor School District Superintendent said there is no evidence Anderson was employed by or volunteered. The Flint School District is still investigating.