Earlier this week, we reported that former Virginia wide receiver Aidan Howard filed a lawsuit against the University and members of the administration, football coaching staff, and football players, including wide receivers Doni Dowling and David Eldridge. The lawsuit alleged, among other things, violations of Title IX and the Americans with Disabilities Act based on claims of bullying and hazing.
According to Howard’s complaint, Howard was diagnosed with a learning disability, was frequently “stupid,” “dumb,” “slow,” and “retarded” by Dowling and Eldridge, who Howard says knew about the disability. The complaint also alleges that Howard was forced to fight another first-year football player as part of “initiation,” in front of other players and coaches, and that as a result, he sustained eye injuries, a concussion, and a broken orbital bone that eventually prevented him from playing football.