For some of the victims, it’s been almost 50 years since they were sexually abused at the Ohio State University (OSU) by Dr. Richard Strauss. Unfortunately, that hasn’t made the pain any easier to leave behind. Perhaps as a result, another 30 victims of Strauss’ abuse have come forward with the intent to join in an existing class-action lawsuit filed by attorney Rocky Ratliff. Ratliff is himself a former student, wrestler, and victim of Strauss at OSU.
Most of the new victims, who were Ohio State football players, have chosen to remain anonymous. They’re led by Al Washington, Ray Ellis, and Keith Ferguson, three former NFL players who decided it was time to hold OSU responsible for the sex abuse suffered by male athletes at the hands of the former team doctor between 1978 and 1998. While university officials deny that OSU actively covered up Strauss’ sexual misconduct, it has paid out more than $61 million to settle with over 315 Strauss survivors.
The addition of former OSU football players to the federal lawsuit once again shines a light on the scandal, which was somewhat overshadowed by the horror (and massive settlements) of the sexual abuse perpetrated by Dr. Larry Nassar at fellow Big Ten school Michigan State. Did OSU and those close to the abuse, including a current U.S. Congressman, really turn a blind eye to what Strauss was doing to male students for close to two decades?
That’s THE Ohio State University, Thank You Very Much
With the main campus in Columbus boasting over 60,000 Buckeyes, OSU has one of the largest enrollments in the country. Many of the athletic department’s teams are nationally ranked, with Ohio State wrestlers often competing for the #1 ranking. The program has been a powerhouse for decades, often attracting the top young wrestlers from high schools. Unfortunately, that provided fertile ground for Strauss's predatory tactics.
Strauss was hired in 1978 as a professor of medicine, an official sports team doctor, and an attending physician at the student health center. In addition to OSU student-athletes, Strauss also had access to minors attending summer youth sport camps. Testimony from victims alleged that the team physician engaged in “unusually prolonged genital exams” during medical treatment, with no other members of the staff present. He would also shower with male students in Larkins Hall, OSU’s physical education facility.
Mike DiSabato, a former OSU wrestler from 1987 to 1991, contacted the school in 2018 to report that the doctor had first groped him when he was 14. When he didn’t receive a response, he took his allegations to the Columbus Dispatch. That motivated OSU to begin examining Strauss’ behavior. As more former wrestlers came forward about the culture of sexual abuse by Strauss that was an “open secret” in the program, the law firm Perkins Coie was hired to take over the independent investigation, which was quickly expanded to include high school victims.
The resulting report, issued in 2019, was far worse than many could have imagined. Numerous complaints about Strauss’ sexual abuse and voyeurism were not acted on until 1996, when he was placed on administrative leave. He was allowed to voluntarily retire in 1998 with emeritus status. The report detailed that 143 victims had suffered 1,430 genital fondlings and 47 rapes. 48 of the victims were members of the OSU wrestling team.
The Elephant in the Room
Washington, Ellis, and Ferguson played college football together at OSU under Coach Woody Hayes, who had a tempestuous history of his own (while extremely successful, his anger issues led to his dismissal in 1978 for punching a Clemson player in the throat after intercepting an OSU pass during the Gator Bowl). Numerous reasons had deterred Washington from previously coming forward, but viewing the suffering of other victims in the 2025 documentary film "Surviving Ohio State" compelled him to speak out and join the lawsuit.
While OSU has settled with hundreds of victims and acknowledges that it suffered a “fundamental failure” to prevent the ongoing abuse, it continues to contest the outstanding lawsuits against the school. The renewed focus on Strauss’ abuses is also likely unwelcome news for U.S. Rep. Jim Jordan, who was an assistant wrestling coach for several years during the doctor’s tenure. Eight former wrestlers claimed that Jordan was aware of the abuse and turned a blind eye to it. He was interviewed by the investigators and has not been accused of committing any abusive acts himself. Jordan has stated that he was unaware of what Strauss was doing.
While the victims may find some degree of justice financially, they will be denied the opportunity to see their sexual abuser held criminally accountable. Dr. Strauss committed suicide in 2005.
Related Resources
- OSU’s Andrew Sweat Chooses Law School Over the NFL (FindLaw’s Legally Weird)
- Lawyer and Former Gymnast Victim Helped Take Down Larry Nassar (FindLaw’s Law and Daily Life)
- What Can You Do About an Abusive Coach? (FindLaw’s Education Law)
