The University of Louisville has officially denied that its athletic department engaged in discriminatory and sexist conduct.
A document filed in response to a lawsuit by Kimberly Maffet flatly denies charges that Louisville discriminated against Maffet because of a disability or punished her for having blown the whistle about an unnamed coach having an affair with a co-worker.
Maffet was fired the same day as Mark Jurich, son of former athletic director Tom Jurich, and associate athletic director of marketing Julianne Waldron.
Lousiville denies almost all of Maffet’s allegations, including that she qualified as a person with a disability. Maffet alleges she has been diagnosed with multiple chronic conditions, including cancer. Among other charges, Louisville also denies that Maffet’s name was placed in a “firing jar” on the desk of the director of employee relations and talent management.
Scott Abell, Maffet’s attorney, hopes that Louisville’s response coming the day before new university president Neeli Bendapudi takes office will draw attention to the case. "With the new president starting her job today, we hope she'll take notice of our suit and we look forward to our day in court," Abell told the Courier-Journal of Louisville.
