San Jose State’s former sports medicine director has been found responsible for claims of sexual misconduct spanning over a decade, according to a Friday USA Today article.
In a Title IX investigation of Scott Shaw’s physical therapy treatment, private attorneys under supervision of the California State University System concluded his practices on female athletes lacked medical basis, ignored proper protocols and violated the system’s sexual harassment policies, the article reported.
Shaw was the director of sports medicine beginning in 2008 until his resignation in August 2020, according to a Sept. 3 Spartan Daily article.
SJSU investigated sexual misconduct claims in December 2019 after Sage Hopkins, head coach of the women’s swimming and diving team at the time, sent 300 pages of notes detailing 17 former swimmers accounts with Shaw to the SJSU Title IX office, according to an April 17, 2020 USA Today article regarding Shaw’s misconduct.
Out of at least 10 investigations issued for Shaw, he was found responsible for misconduct in at least five.
Linzy Warkentin, former SJSU swimmer and one of the five athletes who first reported Shaw’s conduct in 2009, told USA Today she felt relieved by the findings.
“We have been waiting for this for over a year and finally, we are officially acknowledged," Warkentin said.
Chloe Limargo, an industrial design junior and current swim and dive athlete, said although she is not a complainant, she believes the time it took the university and CSU to hold Shaw responsible for his actions is “unacceptable.”
“It honestly makes me wonder, if something [like this] were to happen now, how long would it take for [the university] to actually take action,” Limargo said in a phone call. “Would it be another 10 years, or even worse, 20 years?"
SJSU first investigated allegations about Shaw’s abuse in 2009, after members of the women’s swimming and diving team claimed he had touched them inappropriately.
The university concluded its investigation in 2010 and found no wrongdoing, according to the April 17, 2020 USA Today article.
Kenneth Mashinchi, SJSU’s senior director of media relations, said the university received the investigator’s findings Friday afternoon.
The findings are subject to appeal and are not yet finalized, according to the CSU system process.
“In the meantime, the university is in the process of reaching out to current and former student-athletes who were involved in the investigation to provide supportive services and assist them in obtaining appropriate resources,” Mashichi said in a Friday statement.
Limargo said she hopes the university will also reprimand Shaw for his actions.
“[Shaw’s] not going to deal with the consequences of his actions as much as he should,” Limargo said. “I can really only hope that some sort of penalty would affect him in retirement.”
