Tuesday, December 18, 2007

My Gawd: it's a soap opera...no, it's a reality show...no, it's an athletics department

Just what is it -- television reality show spinoff of "Survivor"or soap opera -- that is masquerading as an athletics department on the Fresno State campus?

After a series of lost lawsuits and multi-million dollar judgments against the Fresno State Athletics department -- one just decided on a couple of weeks ago -- here comes another one.

Fresno State hit with another lawsuitEx-secretary says complaints about Lopes got her fired
Ken Robison and Bryant-Jon Anteola
The Fresno Bee
12/17/07


A former secretary in the Fresno State men's basketball office has filed a lawsuit against the university, alleging she lost her job after complaining about coach Ray Lopes, attorney Dan Siegel said Monday.

Iris Levesque was hired in 2000, Siegel said, as secretary in the men's basketball office under coach Jerry Tarkanian. Lopes took over as Bulldogs coach in 2002 and resigned in March 2005 in the wake of NCAA violations committed during his tenure.

Levesque's is the fourth discrimination lawsuit against Fresno State this year by a former female athletic department employee.

Siegel said the university claimed financial reasons when Levesque was laid off in January 2005, but that Levesque believes she was let go for other reasons.

"She complained of a hostile and discriminatory atmosphere in the basketball office with Lopes being there," Siegel said. "Lopes wanted attractive young women working in the office to help recruit players. Iris was not happy with that.

"She also was unhappy that Lopes invited young women into the basketball office to help in the recruitment of student-athletes. She complained about NCAA violations, extra benefits Lopes and supporters were providing [to athletes]."

Go here for the remainder of the article.

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