Documentary on Ohio State's Dr. Strauss Abuse Case Airs Tonight on HBO Max
A new documentary detailing a sexual abuse scandal within The Ohio State University Athletic Department premieres tonight on HBO Max at 9 PM. The film centers on Dr. Richard Strauss, a sports medicine physician who worked at the university from 1978 to 1998.
Produced by George Clooney, the documentary expands on the story first brought to light by journalists and whistleblowers in 2018. At that time, it was revealed—according to an Axios report—that Dr. Strauss had abused at least 177 students.
A 2019 independent investigation found that Strauss abused hundreds of male student-athletes during medical exams over two decades. WCMH in Columbus reports that Ohio State has since identified nearly 1,500 instances of abuse by Strauss. Among those accused of covering up the abuse is U.S. Congressman Jim Jordan, a former wrestling coach at OSU.
Jordan denies any knowledge of the abuse, stating that he would have acted had he known.
“It’s not true. 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 were abused, then that’s terrible and we want justice to happen,” Jordan told Politico in an interview.
Since 2018, OSU has settled with nearly half of the plaintiffs involved for more than $60 million.
The documentary airs at 9 PM. Will you be watching?