Bobby Dodd Scandal: AAU CEO, President Accused Of Sex Abuse By Former Players

Men: AAU ex-CEO sexually abused them - Amateur Athletic Union announces investigation, contacts police about allegations
By Tom Farrey ESPN.com December 10, 2011

Memphis police are investigating allegations made by two former players that Amateur Athletic Union president and chief executive officer Robert "Bobby" Dodd molested them in the 1980s.

On Friday, the AAU announced that it had contacted Memphis police after AAU officials learned from ESPN's "Outside the Lines" about allegations made by the two players. The AAU also announced its own investigation, that Dodd would not be returning to the organization after a medical leave, and named an interim leader.

"Outside the Lines" tried several times Thursday and Friday to contact Dodd about various abuse allegations. Dodd, 63, the AAU's top executive since 1992, did not respond to in-person visits at his home and AAU offices, telephone calls or email to answer questions about the allegations. The players allege a pattern of inappropriate touching of them by Dodd, masturbation by Dodd while they slept in hotel rooms during tournaments, and players younger than 16 being supplied alcohol....

The players alleging molestation said they also saw hundreds of photographs of the clothed backsides and crotches of AAU players in one of Dodd's filing cabinets, and bags filled with dozens of pairs of teenage boys' old underwear with names and dates on them. They said that he had a hair fetish and would keep in envelopes the boys' hair that he had pulled out in impromptu wrestling matches where he would also grope them. They said he often used petroleum jelly to affix hair to the dashboard of his car. http://espn.go.com/espn/otl/story/_/id/7332846/ex-players-say-aau-bobby-dodd-sexually-abused-youths

Bobby Dodd Scandal: AAU CEO, President Accused Of Sex Abuse By Former Basketball Players (VIDEO) 12/9/11

ORLANDO, Fla. — Two former basketball players have accused ex-Amateur Athletic Union president Robert "Bobby" Dodd of molesting them as children, according to an ESPN report.

The AAU confirmed late Friday that it is investigating the claims, which reportedly date from the 1980s. One of the players, 43-year-old Ralph West, told ESPN's "Outside the Lines" he was assaulted in Memphis in 1984.

Both West and a second unidentified man said news reports about the Penn State child sex abuse case prompted them to independently confront Dodd in November. The player, who spoke to ESPN on the condition of anonymity, said he called Dodd on Nov. 11 and that Dodd apologized for the alleged abuse. ESPN confirmed an eight-minute call to Dodd by examining telephone records.

Memphis police said in a statement that it had been contacted by the AAU and was looking into the allegations. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/12/09/robert-bobby-dodd-sexual-abuse-aau-report-espn_n_1140437.html

Sigh… AAU President Bobby Dodd Accused Of Sexually Abusing Former Players
by Tom Lorenzo December 10th, 2011

On the heels of the Jerry Sanduskyand Bernie Fine child molestation scandals, this latest news implicating AAU President and CEO Bobby Dodd of sexual abuse of two young boys only continues in the process of a complete numbing of my soul. According to ESPN’s “Outside The Lines,” Dodd is being accused of inappropriately touching and sexually abusing the two young men in a hotel room some decades ago.

One of the men who has stepped forward, 43-year-old Ralph West, told ESPN that he was 14 years old at the time of the alleged sexual abuse. West said he was a member of the Dodd-led AAU basketball team and that the abuse took place when the team was on the road, with Dodd sneaking into West’s hotel room late at night....

There was a second man who came froward, but who asked to remain anonymous. Like West, he accused Dodd of abuse but claimed that he was supplied with alcohol by Dodd before being carried to a room where he was “touched.”

The AAU confirmed that they have contacted the Memphis Police Department about the allegations and they told ESPN that they are also conducting their own internal probe. http://www.sportsgrid.com/espn/bobby-dodd-scandal-aau-ceo-president-sexual-abuse-molestation-allegations-video/