Lorenzo Romar UW basketball coach
The University of Washington's basketball coach says the rape allegation against one of his players has been keeping him up at night. (AP Photo)

Romar says rape claim is causing sleepless nights

January 18, 2011 @ 5:27 pm (Updated: 1:30 pm - 3/28/11 )

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By ALEX SILVERMAN
KIRO Radio

The University of Washington's basketball coach says the rape allegation against one of his players has been keeping him up at night.

At a regular team press conference Tuesday afternoon, Coach Lorenzo Romar said he still will not comment on the investigation. However, when asked if the specter of a rape claim is eating at him personally, Romar said he's been concerned with all aspects of his program.

"There are many nights that my wife says, you're awake again, and I say, yeah I'm awake," he said.

When asked if there is a policy that dictates the point at which team action might be taken, Romar declined to answer.

"I won't run from it when it's that time," Romar said. "But at this time, there's no need to address it."

A 16-year-old alleges she and the player corresponded on Facebook, and when they met in person, he raped her in an apartment near Garfield High School in Seattle's Central District.

In an interview last week, the alleged victim's father told KIRO-FM he's angry that the player his daughter says raped her is still on the court for the Huskies.

"I know that Coach Romar has, I think, 3 daughters. If it were his daughters, I don't think [the player] would be traveling to northern California with the team," the father said.

Asked to respond to that, Romar declined. "I'll stick to that pretty good, that statement," he said. "Try again?"

After hearing Romar's remarks, the accuser's father said he's not going to stop pressing the coach.

"I wrote a letter to Coach Romar," he said. "I'm waiting for a response. Tomorrow will be day 10. If I don't hear a response, I want to distribute the letter to pastors of different churches, to see if they might put some pressure on the coach and the school to answer my questions in the letter."

Seattle police say the investigation is ongoing. KIRO-FM is not naming the player in question since he has not been formally charged with a crime.

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Comments (21)


  • Add A Comment

  • Amorget wrote...
    Steve Dallas
    January 19, 2011 8:33 am
    None of what you said has been proven, at all. The player has not been arrested, there is only an investigation. If charges were filed and he was just out on bail I do not believe Romar would be playing him.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Birdonawire wrote...
    More Harm Than Good
    January 19, 2011 9:15 am
    I understand where the father is coming from. I have a daughter and would want justice served and that right quickly.

    But his continuing to try to publicize this incident is going to compromise the investigation and the rights of the accused at some point. There is a fine line to tread here and while the father may feel justified, his actions may have the unintended effect of letting a rapist go free.

    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Nervoso wrote...
    Why haven't they arrested the player yet?
    January 19, 2011 9:20 am
    Something sounds fishy to me.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Tonic99 wrote...
    Wait Until the Facts Come Out
    January 19, 2011 9:27 am
    People are way too quick to indite a player that hasn't even been charged yet. Also, this article is bull. I heard the interview, and I didn't take away that Romar is losing sleep over this specific issue. He's losing sleep because of everything on the team.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • cabanaboy wrote...
    FOUL....Implied Double Standard
    January 19, 2011 9:49 am
    Appears to be a double standard when athletes are involved. At the very least there’s the accusation that alcohol was purchased with a minor and that consumption followed thereafter.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • UncaToddly wrote...
    For crying out loud
    January 19, 2011 10:10 am
    Stop acting like she is 12 years old or something. Steve Dallas and others want to get warped about her being an "underage 16 year old". The only thing she was underage for was drinking and she seemed to be OK with that part of it. It doesn't matter if it was someone who is 21 or 50, she has the right to have consentual sex with anyone she chooses outside of a few exceptions with those who are considered to have a "position of power" over her. If everyone on that team wanted to have sex with her and she was OK with it there are no laws being broken. Some states do have the 5 year rule where the fact that she is 16 and he is 21 or 22 would be a problem, Washington does not. That said, rape IS against the law regardless of age and THAT is the issue.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • UncaToddly wrote...
    UW & SPD Can't Win on this...
    January 19, 2011 10:21 am
    ... if no charges are ever filed due to lack of evidence. There will always be those who cry that the university and SPD just swept it under the rug. They will say that if they had only won 2 games all year they would have told us who it was but because they are doing well they are trying to ignore it as long as possible. Sad that people will view it that way but people are what they are really. Look at people like ptjones. Wants to drag a Cougar into it that had one key difference from this case: Reggie Moore was ARRESTED. CHARGES haven't even been filed in the UW case.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • oldreliable wrote...
    bring on the boosters
    January 19, 2011 11:01 am
    I bet the boosters (big money fat cats and you know who you are) ... are covering this up as fast as a cat covering up his toilet on a hard wood floor ... Romar needs get this issue resolved now, one way or the other ... my guess is with the lack of news media coverage the BB player is guilty and if he his, and Romar continues to play him ... then UW should do that right thing and fire Romar .. there is no room for scum bag athletes (we have enough already) that think they are larger than the law
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • UncaToddly wrote...
    Ummmm HUH?
    January 19, 2011 11:19 am
    @oldreliable: Let me see if I got your logic straight. The only reason anyone even KNOWS about this story is because the family went to the media. So you are saying that because said media outlets don't have anymore concrete evidence to put out there that it MUST mean that the player is guilty? Believe me, if there are charges filed you can bet the media will be ALL over this. If they never are though? You will never hear anything from the media saying "We regret to say that we put this story out there without a shred of proof. We are sorry. But HEY, we didn't tell you the names so we are OK right?!?"
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
  • Redwood05 wrote...
    Because he is an UW player
    January 19, 2011 12:02 pm
    The only reason why this is even out in the public is because the person plays for UW. If this girl accused someone that was just a Joe Blow this would not have even made the back page in small print in any paper and would not even have made the news on TV.
    { "Thumbs Up":"1","Thumbs Down":"-1" }
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