Brad Bomba Lawsuit Expands Scope As Athletic Trainer Tim Garl Is Added As Defendant
BLOOMINGTON, Ind. – The federal class action lawsuit filed by former Indiana basketball players alleging sexual abuse by former team doctor Dr. Bradford Bomba Sr. has added an additional defendant and another former Indiana player as a plaintiff.
According to a press release from DeLaney & DeLaney, the law firm representing the plaintiffs in the lawsuit, the amended complaint now includes long-time and current Indiana men’s basketball athletic trainer Tim Garl as a defendant as well as original defendant Indiana University.
Bomba is not a defendant in the case, though he is at the center of the allegations. In the original suit filed in October 2024, Indiana University is accused of having knowledge of Bomba’s actions and failing to act on them. The plaintiffs consider this to be a Title IX violation.
Mujezinovic and Miller allege, “they were routinely subjected to medically unnecessary, invasive and sexually abusive rectal examinations by Dr. Bradford Bomba, the team’s physician.”
The amended complaint filed Tuesday alleges that Garl had knowledge of Bomba’s actions and continued to assign players to him for physical examinations where abuse allegedly occurred.
“Dr. Bomba Sr.’s supervisor was IU Head Men’s Basketball Trainer Tim Garl. Garl had actual knowledge of and participated in Dr. Bomba, Sr.’s constitutional violations by continuing to assign IU’s student athletes to Dr. Bomba, Sr. for physical examinations with knowledge that, when he did so, Dr. Bomba, Sr. would sexually assault those students,” the amended complaint states.
Garl has been employed by Indiana as the men’s basketball athletic trainer since 1981.
When contacted by Hoosiers On SI for comment, Indiana University spokesman Mark Bode said that the university does not comment on litigation. He referred to the original statement made by the university in September on the internal investigation into the matter.
In addition, another former Indiana player has added his name to the lawsuit as a plaintiff. John Flowers, who played at Indiana from 1981-83, is the third former Indiana player named as a plaintiff in the suit that was initiated by 1990s era players Haris Mujezinovic and Charlie Miller.
“I am proud to stand up on behalf of my former teammates and other IU basketball players to seek justice for the sexual abuse we endured as members of the Hoosiers,” Flowers said in a press release from DeLaney & DeLaney.
Flowers, a Fort Wayne native, played his freshman and sophomore seasons for the Hoosiers. He played a total of 37 games for Indiana and averaged 4.4 points in a reserve role. He left after the 1982-83 season and transferred to UNLV. He played 65 career games at UNLV in a college career that ended in 1986.
The amended complaint states that Flowers was assigned by Garl to Bomba for the physical examination that was required by the athletic department for all student-athletes.
The complaint alleges that Garl laughed at Flowers about the digital rectal examinations given by Bomba and that jokes were made at the expense of Flowers and other freshmen at the time of the alleged abuse.
“Garl was at all times relevant herein aware that the digital rectal examinations Dr. Bomba, Sr. routinely performed on young, healthy collegiate athletes were medically unnecessary because Garl has worked as a medical professional in the sports medicine field since, at least, 1975,” the complaint states.
The suit claims that the university and Garl provided its “stamp of approval” by contracting Bomba as team doctor.
The amended complaint states that Flowers did not suspect that Bomba’s examinations constituted sexual misconduct until he discussed the exams with his cousin in 2024 – an unnamed player who also played for Indiana’s basketball team and who was also subject to alleged abuse. Shortly after, Flowers learned of the class action suit and added his name to it.
According to the complaint, Indiana University is liable regarding these complaints as the suit alleges they would be considered a Title IX violation.
“Following its enactment, courts have interpreted Title IX to protect students from sexual assault or sex-based harassment in educational programs or activities operated by recipients of federal funding,” the complaint states.
In December, Bomba, 88, was ruled competent to speak in his own defense after an unsuccessful effort was made by his legal guardian to find Bomba incompetent to testify.
In subsequent testimony, Bomba invoked his Fifth Amendment right to not incriminate himself on 45 questions asked of him about the case.
Bomba is a member of the Indiana Athletics Hall of Fame. An end on the football team in the 1950s, he served as team physician for all of Indiana’s teams from 1962-70. He began serving as basketball physician in 1979 and stayed in that capacity into the late 1990s.
There is no statute of limitations for federal civil cases regarding these matters, the plaintiffs argue.
Indiana University has filed a motion to dismiss based on statute of limitations. The case seeks unspecified monetary damages on behalf of all former athletes who were subject to abuse by Bomba.
Another former Indiana men’s basketball player has retained separate legal representation in a potential civil claim against Indiana University. This player, who has chosen to remain anonymous, is represented by the Dallas-based Simpson Tuegel Law Firm.
According to a press release from Simpson Tuegel acquired by Hoosiers On SI in October, the player was an Indiana basketball player in the 1990s who played for Bob Knight.
Related stories
- BOMBA INVOKES FIFTH AMENDMENT: In testimony related to the class action suit filed against Indiana University, former team doctor Brad Bomba invoked the Fifth Amendment in 45 questions asked of him about the case. CLICK HERE.
- FORMER BASKETBALL PLAYERS FILE SUIT: Former Indiana men's basketball players Haris Mujezinovic and Charlie Miller filed suit against Indiana University related to alleged sexual abuse when they played basketball at Indiana in the 1990s. CLICK HERE.
- INDIANA INITIATES INVESTIGATION: Indiana University has retained counsel and initiated an investigation into allegations of sexual abuse by former men's basketball team doctor Brad Bomba Sr. CLICK HERE.