Institutions of higher education can be citadels of extreme incuriosity.
Three days ago we told the story of a University of Utah swimmer suffering a hypoxic seizure during a breath-control drill in Mexico (if Mexico City, it was at high altitude — something we forgot to mention). The swimmer convulsed in the pool, and after being pulled from the water, broke a tooth falling unconscious. The incident was covered up, and one of the people responsible — the major share of the blame goes to now-fired head coach Greg Winslow — was Charlie King, an assistant. Last year King became head swimming coach at the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse.
I emailed King for comment. Nothing.
I emailed Wisconsin – La Crosse athletic director Josh Whitman.Nothing.
I emailed university chancellor Joe Gow. Bingo! Gow wrote:
“Sorry, Irv, but because these alleged events occurred at another university I don’t know anything about them.”
Not even an “I’ll look into this serious situation,” let alone a “I’m distressed to learn that in our coach’s previous job he worked under an accused sex criminal and is accused in a cover-up of unsafe training methods.”
Thanks, Chance. Remind me not to send my kids to the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse.
Irv Muchnick
[email protected]