Anderson reportedly ignored claims that a booster sexually harassed three women at athletic eventsGETTY IMAGES
Arizona State AD Ray Anderson is "being accused in a notice of claim that he covered up allegations that a major booster sexually harassed three women" and that he also "fired a senior executive who reported the behavior," according to a front-page piece by Ryman & Harris of the ARIZONA REPUBLIC. A $1.5M notice of claim filed against ASU last week alleges Anderson "repeatedly ignored claims that Bart Wear, a donor to men's and women's teams, sexually harassed three women at athletics events." Former ASU Senior Associate AD David Cohen claims that Wear "sexually harassed" his wife, Kathy, and "two other women." When he reported the conduct in March '19, "first to Anderson and then to four other senior administrators, he claims the university failed to take action and retaliated by firing him later that year." ASU, in a statement on Thursday, said that the university "began an investigation" in summer '19, and "hired a law firm to conduct an independent review of the complaints." It found that the donor "subjected three individuals to unwelcome comments and physical contact." ASU said the university "cancelled the donor's season tickets and informed him he is no longer welcome at university events, and he has otherwise dissociated himself from the university and related entities that support athletics" (ARIZONA REPUBLIC, 2/21).
MORE TO THE STORY: YAHOO SPORTS' Pete Thamel, who initially broke the report, noted Anderson "went on a golf trip with Wear 'using Mr. Wear's private plane service' about six weeks after learning of the allegations." When reached by Yahoo Sports on Wednesday night, Anderson said, "I'm not talking to you." He directed questions "to ASU media-relations officials." The notice of claim says that when "confronted at one point about not investigating Wear, Anderson said he wasn't going to be told 'how or when to talk to a (expletive) donor.'" Another time, the notice of claim says that Anderson "said he wanted to wait for Wear to return from vacation before addressing the allegations." Later, Anderson "mentioned wanting to return from his own vacation." After the "initial allegations in the spring and throughout the investigation into his alleged actions, Wear appeared to continue enjoying the perks and access of being a booster" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 2/20).
