UK President calls allegations against former swim coach ‘deeply distressing’
University of Kentucky President Eli Capilouto said in a statement Friday the allegations of sexual assault and harassment against former swim coach Lars Jorgensen are “deeply distressing.”
The statement marks the first time Capilouto has publicly addressed allegations that Jorgensen sexually assaulted multiple former swimmers. Jorgensen was fired in June 2023 as the university investigated two complaints — one related to the sexual abuse allegations, and one for training violations.
Capilouto’s acknowledgment of the sexual abuse allegations was part of a larger statement from his office on Friday after the NCAA announced it was placing two university programs — swimming and diving, and football — on two years of probation for separate rules violations.
The punishments for the swimming and diving program was related to training violations. The NCAA determined that student-athletes were not given required days off, and the program’s maximum practice hours were exceeded for nearly three years under Jorgensen, according to a news release from the university.
For the sexual misconduct allegations, public records showed that several people had reported Jorgensen’s alleged misconduct to the university for years, and evidence was being gathered inside the UK Office of Institutional Equity and Equal Opportunity and the UK Athletic Compliance Office.
But in Friday’s statement, Capilouto said: “The most serious of the allegations were only known to us at the time a lawsuit was filed by two former staff members and after the coach had been dismissed. (Athletics Director) Mitch (Barnhart) and I are sickened by allegations that members of the UK community suffered harm because of the actions of someone entrusted to protect and empower our student athletes and staff. We will not tolerate abuse, and neither should anyone who is a member of our community.”
Violations in the football program stem from 11 players who accepted payment for hours they did not work in jobs at the UK hospital. As a result, UK will vacate 10 wins from the 2021 season.
Sexual misconduct allegations
Accusations against Jorgensen went public after two former members of the UK swim team filed a lawsuit in April alleging a “toxic, sexually hostile environment” in the swim program. The lawsuit alleged UK empowered Jorgensen “to prey on, sexually harass, and commit horrific sexual assaults and violent rapes against young female coaches and collegiate athletes who were reliant on him.”
Jorgensen has denied the allegations, and the lawsuit is ongoing.
Capilouto said in Friday’s statement that several processes and changes have been adopted as a result of the allegations, including reforms for how investigations are handled by the Office for Institutions Equity and Equal Opportunity, and new rules “to underscore our commitment to protecting our people and making clearer the ramifications of misconduct.”
Specific policy changes include designating anyone found in significant violation of sexual harassment and misconduct policies as “not eligible for rehire” in their personal file, which is a public record available to future employers. There will also be enhanced pre-employment screenings and background checks, Capilouto’s statement said.
Additionally, Capilouto said UK is:
Planning to hire additional employees for investigations of allegations of sexual harassment and misconduct.
Working to better track and manage caseloads “to ensure sexual harassment and misconduct cases are responded to, investigated and finalized more expeditiously.”
Improve records management software to ensure better internal communication.
Jorgensen’s employment contract with UK ended on June 28, 2023, and he was paid $75,000 at the end of his tenure. A mutual non-disparagement clause prevented the university and Jorgensen from publicly criticizing each other.
Public records reviewed by the Herald-Leader revealed that Jorgensen was the focus of misconduct complaints from students and staff members and two investigations, one for alleged sexual abuse of women in the swim program and another for NCAA student-athlete training violations, for which the NCAA placed the program on probation for on Friday.
Kentucky vacates 10 wins from 2021 as NCAA finds rules violations in football, swim programs
Jorgensen built an SEC-winning swim program at UK after his arrival in 2012, with the women’s team winning the program’s first SEC championship in 2021. Jorgensen himself was an Olympic swimmer, having represented the United States in the 1,500-meter freestyle at the 1988 Seoul Olympics and winning six national championships during his swimming career.
Jorgensen’s salary was $190,000 when he was fired, and his contract had been set to run through this coming school year.
Reporters Jon Hale and John Cheves contributed to this story.
UK was investigating ‘predator’ swim coach for sex abuse. Then it paid him to quit
Kentucky vacates 10 wins from 2021 as NCAA finds rules violations in football, swim programs
