If anything good has come of Jerry Sandusky’s child sexual abuse charges, it may be that awareness caused by the recent Penn State scandal is encouraging children who may have been molested by priests, teachers, or coaches to come forward and file abuse reports. The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) is one of the largest non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the United States. A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs. And now, investigations are underway after two former basketball players allege that Robert "Bobby" Dodd, the leader of a youth sports organization molested them during the 1980s when they were still youngsters. According to CNN, those former players were interviewed by ESPN when they alleged that Dodd sexually abused them in hotel rooms during tournaments when they were 12 to16 years old.
To date, both CNN and ESPN report that they could not reach Dodd, 63, for comment.
The former players say the alleged incidents occurred in the 19802 when Dodd was a YMCA director.
The allegations were made amid child sex scandals at Penn State and Syracuse universities; both men told ESPN that the publicity from the scandals prompted them to act. One of Dodd's accusers, identified by ESPN as Ralph West, said he was 14 at the time of the alleged abuse. West said he was on a basketball team run by Dodd, who he said would sometimes slip into his hotel room. He recalled one incident to the network.
"Must have been 3 in the morning. I was dead asleep and I don't remember anything but waking up and he has his, he's trying to put his hand in my boxer shorts. And I jumped up straight out of the bed and he's not there, but he's laying on the floor next to me down by the bed. And of course I was freaked out," West told ESPN.
Asked how Dodd could have entered the hotel room, West said, "He had a key. He always somehow had a key to whatever room I was in."
Click Here to see the full story from ESPN ~ Men: AAU ex-CEO sexually abused them
Also See:
- Jerry Sandusky arrested and arraigned on new child sexual abuse charges
- Bernie Fine fired over secret sex abuse tape: SU Chancellor releases statement
(sources: CNN, ESPN)
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