More Anderson accusers to detail abuse claims on Wednesday

Another man is expected to say publicly that he alerted former University of Michigan football coach Bo Schembechler to alleged sexual assaults by former Dr. Robert Anderson.

The man, formerly associated with UM athletics, is set to join with more than three dozen Anderson accusers during a 10 a.m. press conference Wednesday near Michigan Stadium to detail claims that he was a victim of Anderson and informed Schembechler and former UM Athletic Director Don Canham at the time, according to John Sellek, a spokesman for the group expected to attend.

► Watch the press conference here.

UM officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment. 

Anderson, the former head of University Health Services and team physician for UM Athletic Department, served UM from 1966-2003. He died in 2008. More than 850 accusers of Anderson are currently in mediation with the university.

The press conference comes days after Schembechler's son and two other men claimed they told the revered coach about the abuse but nothing was done. Dozens of former UM football players and other athletes will gather near Michigan Stadium and call on university regents to do more.

We're offering a great deal on all-access subscriptions. Check it out here.

The press conference comes less than a week after Matthew Schembechler, the son of Bo Schembechler, said he told his father about being abused by Anderson when he was 10. Two other former UM football players — Daniel Kwiatkowski and Ex-Detroit Lion Gilvanni Johnson — also said they told Schembechler about Anderson's alleged abuse. But Schembechler, they said, did nothing.

Matthew Schembechler said his dad refused to hear the claim, punched him and intervened to save the physician's job when Canham attempted to fire Anderson.

Bo Schembechler, who died in 2006, was first accused of knowing about Anderson's conduct in a July 2020 federal lawsuit filed by a former UM student, who said he told the coach about Anderson's abuse in 1982 and 1983. The former student, who spoke anonymously during a press conference, said Schembechler told him to alert Canham, but he did not blame Schembechler for not pursuing the matter further.

A May report commissioned by UM to investigate Anderson showed three football players alerted Schembechler to Anderson's behavior. One of the players said  Anderson fondled him and gave him a rectal exam. Soon after, they approached Schembechler and questioned the exam. 

The press conference comes the day before the UM Regents meet virtually for their regularly scheduled business meeting on Thursday.

Dubbed Regents Refusing Justice, it will  be livestreamed at 10 am.

kkozlowski@detroitnews.com