A third former Indiana University (IU) basketball player has come forward with shocking allegations of sexual abuse against the team doctor, intensifying a legal battle that accuses the university of failing to protect its athletes. The updated lawsuit now includes John Flowers, who claims he was subjected to unnecessary and invasive prostate examinations by Dr. Bradford Bomba Sr., adding to the growing scandal engulfing the Hoosiers basketball program.
Flowers joins Haris Mujezinovic and Charlie Miller in the amended class-action lawsuit against the Indiana University Trustees. According to the federal lawsuit filed in the Southern District of Indiana on Tuesday, Flowers alleges that these disturbing incidents occurred during his time with the team from 1981 to 1982.
The lawsuit further implicates longtime men’s basketball trainer Tim Garl, who is now also named as a defendant. The legal document alleges that Garl was aware of Dr. Bomba’s inappropriate conduct, describing the “invasive, harassing, and demeaning digital rectal examinations” and yet continued to refer players to him.
The lawsuit details a disturbing locker room culture, stating, “After his first physical, Flowers’s teammates told him he had ‘passed’ Dr. Bomba, Sr.’s ‘test,’ and that he would not have to undergo a digital rectal examination again.” Adding to the toxic environment, “Garl laughed at Flowers and his freshman teammates and made jokes at their expense regarding the digital rectal examinations they endured.”
Flowers, who later showcased his basketball talents at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, and subsequently played professionally in Europe, decided to add his voice to the lawsuit initially filed by Mujezinovic and Miller in October. Their initial filing already sent shockwaves through the university and the wider sports community.
Mujezinovic and Miller, who played under the legendary coach Bobby Knight in the 1990s, allege similar experiences during their time at IU. Knight, a towering figure in basketball history, passed away two years ago at the age of 83.
“I am proud to stand up on behalf of my former teammates and other IU basketball players to seek justice for the sexual abuse we endured as members of the Hoosiers,” stated Flowers, who currently resides in Arizona, in a public statement.
Kathleen Delaney, the attorney representing Flowers, Mujezinovic, and Miller, has indicated in court documents that Dr. Bomba may have subjected at least 100 male athletes to these abusive examinations.
In an email statement on Tuesday, Delaney asserted, “Our clients each present compelling and disturbing allegations that Dr. Bomba, Sr.’s pattern of subjecting IU men’s basketball players to abusive and unnecessary digital rectal examinations went on for so long that university leadership must have known about it.” This raises serious questions about the oversight and accountability within Indiana University’s athletic department.
IU spokesperson Mark Bode offered a brief statement, saying the university “does not comment on litigation.” He referred to a previous statement from September where IU announced the hiring of a private law firm to conduct an “independent review” of the allegations. The university’s September statement urged the “IU Community to have patience as we search for the truth and to have confidence that the university’s actions will be consistent with our values.”
Garl, who has been associated with the university since 1981, has not yet responded to requests for comment on the escalating legal proceedings.
Flowers, Mujezinovic, and Miller are pursuing legal action against Garl and the IU trustees under Title IX. This federal law mandates that all educational institutions receiving federal funding must implement safeguards to protect students from sexual predators, highlighting the serious legal implications for Indiana University.
Dr. Bomba, now 88 years old, is not currently listed as a defendant in the lawsuit.
Last month, during a deposition, Dr. Bomba repeatedly invoked his Fifth Amendment right against self-incrimination. He declined to answer dozens of questions regarding whether he performed rectal examinations on young athletes. He did acknowledge his close friendship with Coach Knight but again invoked the Fifth Amendment when questioned if Knight instructed him to perform these digital rectal exams on players.
Dr. Bomba served as the medical provider for all of the university’s sports teams from 1962 to 1970. He later returned as the basketball team’s doctor from 1979 until the late 1990s, spanning a significant period during which the alleged abuse took place.
The lawsuit also reveals that Dr. Bomba, a former Indiana University football player, was ironically nicknamed “Frankenstein” by coaches and players because of his unusually large hands and fingers.
The legal document further details the alleged open secret of Dr. Bomba’s actions, stating, “Dr. Bomba, Sr.’s routine sexual assaults were openly discussed by the Hoosier men’s basketball players in the locker room in the presence of IU employees, including assistant coaches, athletic trainers, and other Hoosier men’s basketball staff,” suggesting a widespread awareness, or at least suspicion, of the doctor’s conduct within the program.
Dr. Bomba’s lawyer did not provide an immediate response to requests for comment regarding the amended lawsuit, leaving many questions unanswered as this case continues to unfold.
