The former coach of Harvard University's women's ice hockey team filed a sex discrimination lawsuit against the university on Tuesday, accusing university officials of forcing her into retirement with false allegations of misconduct.
Katie Stone, who coached the team for 29 years before retiring last year, alleged in her lawsuit that Harvard officials unfairly scrutinized her coaching methods despite the fact that male coaches at the school engaged in similar behavior.
Investigative reports in the Boston Globe and The Athletic allege that Stone created a toxic environment on the team by being indifferent to players' mental health issues and downplaying injuries.
After his retirement, athletic director Erin McDermott wrote that an independent investigation found the team “did not foster a culture of bullying” and that “it is clear that some traditions in recent years have been experienced differently by different people.”
The lawsuit, filed in federal district court in Massachusetts, alleges that Stone was forced to resign under threat of termination and that she was “severely punished and severely reprimanded” for using the same leadership tactics and behaviors as her male colleagues.
A Harvard spokesman did not immediately respond to a request for comment Tuesday.
This is a developing story and will be updated.
—Staff writer Jo B. Lemann can be reached at jo.lemann@thecrimson.com. Follow her on X. Joe Leman.
