Contract Not Renewed for IU Men’s Basketball Athletic Trainer Tim Garl
BLOOMINGTON, Ind.–After 44 years at Indiana University, Tim Garl will not be returning as the Indiana University head men’s basketball athletic trainer.
Garl’s attorney, Christopher Lee of Dinsmore & Shohl, said Garl was informed Monday by IU Athletic Director Scott Dolson that his contract will not be renewed. Garl’s last day is Monday.
Garl was added as a defendant in a federal class action lawsuit filed by former basketball players over the conduct of a former team physician. His attorney argued for an expedited ruling on the motion to dismiss the complaint, expressing concern about the impact on Garl’s career if the case continues. The judge has yet to rule on the original motion to dismiss the complaint.
Five former IU basketball players say they were sexually abused by former team physician Dr. Brad Bomba Sr during their medical examinations. The complaint states that Garl assigned each player to Bomba Sr., or another doctor, for the player’s annual physical and that IU didn’t allow a player to choose which physician they saw for their physical.
In one specific instance, one of the players accused Garl of laughing and making jokes at the players expense regarding rectal examinations they had to go through.
Garl, who is from Elkhart, was hired by IU as the head’s men’s basketball trainer in 1981. He started his career in sports medicine as a student athletic trainer from 1975-1978 for Paul “Bear” Bryant at the University of Alabama.
In 1979, he started working with the U.S. Olympic Committee’s Sports Medicine program. When he got the job at IU, he continued working at USOC and served 25 years on the program.
In 1994 Garl appeared in the movie Blue Chips. He played himself as a member of the Indiana team and served as an Athletic Trainer behind the scenes for the athletes participating in the production.
Garl has been a frequent speaker at both national and international Basketball and Sports Medicine clinics. He has authored numerous articles both in the US and Europe, and he published a book on Strength and Conditioning for basketball players.
