An unfolding football hazing scandal that allegedly involved sexual and racial abuse has managed to drag Northwestern University even lower with the revelation Wednesday that a freshman Latino player had “Cinco de Mayo” shaved onto the back of his head.
As reported by The Associated Press, Ramon Diaz says he was just 17 when upperclassmen altered his appearance as the entire football team watched.
“The holiday itself has a significant meaning to me and my family and then the Latino community at large,” Diaz told the AP. “I was mocked and ridiculed.”
The episode at Northwestern inspired Diaz to become the 10th former student-athlete to sue the university in recent weeks. With his allegations, the cases now span more than 15 years, from 2005 to 2022.
Northwestern, which fired 17-year head football coach Pat Fitzgerald on July 10, announced Tuesday that it has hired former U.S. Attorney General Loretta Lynch to lead an investigation into the culture of its athletic department and its anti-hazing procedures.
Diaz said he was the only Latino offensive lineman at a time when the athletic department’s culture allowed racism and sexual abuse to thrive and caused psychological and emotional damage to athletes of color, Claire Savage of the AP reported.
Diaz, who needed his football scholarship to afford college, said he recalled Bret Ingalls, the Wildcats’ offensive line coach at the time, telling him: “I know you grew up on dirt floors, but here we try to keep things clean,” and “Ramon, you can get a job easily in summer mowing the lawn or painting houses.”
The allegations raised by Diaz, who is being represented by Parker Stinar and Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard, align with those of players who graduated more recently, including former quarterback Lloyd Yates, who said the treatment was especially bad for players of color.
Diaz told the AP he tried to kill himself at one point because of the racism and bigotry he endured, started seeing a therapist for depression, and still needs treatment to process what happened. He said the psychological damage was significant enough to impair his functioning throughout his time at Northwestern.
“I just remember the laughter. No one stopped it. And the players felt enabled because of the atmosphere created by the coaches,” he said.
Ingalls, who is listed as an analyst for the University of Michigan’s football team, called those allegations “baseless accusations” in an emailed statement Wednesday, Savage reported.
“I have dedicated my entire career to mentoring and coaching young men of all races, ethnicities, and backgrounds,” the statement said. “I respect all individuals and have continued to do that throughout my coaching career.”
Diaz said he “cannot imagine” what he would do if forced nudity or sexual abuse happened to one of his three children, but he’s not surprised that younger players have reported similar incidents.
“The abuse is increasing and the behaviors are becoming more more severe towards the athletes,” and unless the university and the NCAA address the mechanisms enabling a damaging culture, “nothing will change,” he said.
“I have not watched a full football game since I graduated Northwestern University,” he added. “Something was taken from me.”
