Former LSU athletics official brings new allegations against school, football coach

A former LSU athletics official has brought new allegations against the school after reporting Les Miles harassment complaints. Former associate athletics director Sharon Lewis and her lawyers have added retaliation to the list of claims she has made against the school in her lawsuit.

Lewis claims she was fired by LSU as a result of her reporting allegations and filing her lawsuit.

LSU athletics department receives retaliation allegations

“Lawyers for an athletics official who sued LSU say she has been fired in retaliation,” detailed a report from AP News. “Sharon Lewis says she was denied raises and verbally abused after reporting former football coach Les Miles sexually harassed female students and made racist remarks.”

Lewis had previously filed a $50 million federal lawsuit against LSU after reporting allegations against former football coach Les Miles. On Jan. 5, Lewis was terminated from her position with LSU, an act her lawyers say is a violation of multiple laws that protect her job after reporting the Title IX violations.

Lewis and her legal team alleges that her firing is a violation of Louisiana whistleblower laws, Title IX protections and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. They have added the allegations of retaliation to their existing lawsuit. Her retaliation claim also addresses her being denied raises as a specific result of her reporting of Miles.

“The wrongful termination of Sharon Lewis by LSU is a continuation of the retaliation she has endured for reporting violations” of the federal sex discrimination law known as Title IX and of state law, Lewis’ attorneys said in a statement released to reporters Tuesday.

A spokesman for LSU commented that they cannot address specific personnel actions, but indicated that the athletic department has had 40 different “reassignments and departures” in the last month. Their comment indicates that their official reasoning for terminating Lewis was a part of the school’s “rebuild” as new head football coach Brian Kelly takes over the program.

Lewis, a former LSU track and field star, handled football recruiting and alumni relations for more than a decade.

“There can be no clearer statement of the values of Scott Woodward and LSU’s Board Of Supervisors,” wrote her lawyers in regards to her termination.