IOWA CITY, IOWA — Members of the University of Iowa women’s swimming and diving team filed a legal complaint against the school Friday, arguing that a decision to eliminate their program violates a landmark gender equity law.
The complaint argues that Iowa is not offering equal opportunities for female students to participate in sports as required by Title IX, the 1972 law that bars sex-based discrimination in federally funded education programs.
The plaintiffs, including senior captain Sage Ohlensehlen and teammates Christina Kaufman, Alexa Puccini and Kelsey Drake, are asking a federal judge to reinstate their program. In addition, their lawsuit requests class-action status on behalf of all female undergraduates who they say are legally entitled to additional sports opportunities.