Geno Auriemma, NBA, and USA Basketball Sued By a Female NBA Official For Employment Discrimination
By Jason Lisk
According to the suit, Hardwick alleges that Auriemma made unwanted advances toward her during a Team USA trip to Russia in 2009. She claims that she would not have pursued the lawsuit until Auriemma took it a step further and then sought to have her removed as the top security official for the women’s team during the upcoming Olympics.
Per Hardwick’s allegation, she and another female official were in the lobby at the team hotel in 2009, when Auriemma approached them from the bar.
"“He invited himself and started talking about coming from an immigrant Italian background and saying he could relate to inner-city blacks,” Ms. Shannon recalled. “We were like ‘whatever.”"
He then rode with them up the elevator and allegedly tried to kiss Hardwick, a former narcotics detective, but she rebuffed his advances. (“You better check yourself before you get hurt!”).
The NBA and USA Basketball are also included in the suit because of allegations that they acted on Auriemma’s request to remove her. It’s still in the early stages and these are allegations at this point, but not a good look as Auriemma prepares to represent the country in the Olympics. [NYT]
[photo via US Presswire]