Former Ohio State wrestlers and Dr. Richard Strauss’ central figures in the sexual abuse case, Mark Coleman and Mike Dizabat, recently sat in an interview to discuss the abuse they endured, the process of moving forward, and the ongoing battle for justice.
Dr. Richard Strauss Mark Coleman and Mike Disabath
UFC Hall of Fame Mark Coleman and longtime wrestling coach and advocate Mark Coleman spoke about how they and their teammates were sacrificed by Dr. Richard Strauss, a university team doctor from 1978 to 1998.
In an interview, Mark Coleman recalls his lack of understanding of grooming and sexual abuse at the time in an interview with Ariel Helwani, he said:
“At the time, this was Ariel, 1986. We didn’t know we knew we were grooming and sexually abused. We thought we were the wrong guy. But he was a doctor. And.
“He has won our trust, and once again, when you get that varsity, you have that Ohio logo on your chest, and you are a doctor – we’ve been taught to follow the rules and do what you’re going to do.
After reading about the Larry Nassar scandal, Coleman and DiSabath explained how their realization of abuse occurred. Disabato said:
“We were the first one just to play some little history. We’re sitting in December 2017. He’s reading the newspaper and talking about Larry Nasser because his daughter was a gymnast.
“So we talked for the next few months with guys in our community in our circle to reaffirm. I knew everyone had gone through the same thing, but that was one of those things you just went to the guys and said, ‘I-I happened?’ Certainly, it did. ”
This process of reaching out to other survivors helped validate their experiences and led to a wider movement of former athletes. The scope of abuse is phenomenal, with Mark Coleman and DiSabato highlighting that they were not limited to wrestling and have influenced athletes in many sports. “We’ve spoken thousands. We’re not just wrestling, we’re also telling all the sports. This is trend. It was trending. It’s still trending – sexual assault.” The hospital said.
The two also highlighted the difficulties faced by male survivors when speaking out, especially in the world of elite athletics. “It’s hard to talk about sexual abuse for men and men, especially sexual abuse of male elite male athletes. And being here is important to say this kind of conversation, you know, this is (exprey) going to happen.” Disabato said.
Surviving Ohio: The Battle for Justice to Publish It All and Inside the HBO Documentary
Reflecting the trauma and institutional failures in Ohio, both men expressed a sense of betrayal. “I first met him when I was 14. He had a body fat test. And he wanted to see our test circle at 14.” The hospital was approved again.
The documentary “Surviving Ohio,” produced by George Clooney and directed by Eva Orner, features interviews with Coleman and other survivors, and will be available for streaming on HBO (MAX) from June 17th.
Ohio survivors speak out
“I’m a fighter. I’m not going to quit. They offered you $150,000 for anything. Coleman said.
Both men also discussed the emotional sacrifice of moving forward, noting that the trauma of speaking up and dealing with institutional resistance was often worse than the original abuse. “Part of me is even more upset. I think one of the victims told me, “Strauss – we are Strauss survivors, but what most happened from Strauss is actually more disappointing than my personal situation.” Shared by Disabato.
Mark Coleman and DiSabath emphasized the importance of honesty and telling the truth. “You have to be uncomfortable sometimes to be comfortable. And you know, Mike said, “It’s Lett. Maybe I’ll make me, Mike and Ohio State head coach Russ Helix.” And I was very nervous that day. I remember what I said to Russ. “I’m pretty nervous. I don’t know if I should do this or not,” and he looked at me and said, “Well, it’s fine just to tell the truth and everything.”