Water polo participant who accused teammate of intercourse assault returning to US

A water polo star who fled to Barcelona after a teammate allegedly sexually and racially assaulted him has revealed his plans to return to the US.

Aidan Romain moved to Spain and filed a bombshell lawsuit claiming Lucca Van Der Woude terrorized him at Harvard-Westlake in Studio Metropolis.

The 18-year-old claimed Van Der Woude would digitally penetrate him underwater and in locker rooms, in addition to hurl racial insults together with the N-word.

Now, Romain has informed ABC Eyewitness Information he needs to return to the States to attend an Ivy League faculty earlier than hopefully representing the US within the Olympics.

He mentioned: “It was very troublesome every day to take care of the racial abuse and the sexual abuse. The racial abuse and sexual abuse was a each day foundation factor.

“It occurred in almost each coaching; it will occur many instances each day, generally exterior of the pool. So, it was definitely a troublesome expertise.”

Romain’s authorized criticism particulars a long-standing tradition of violence and humiliation inside the faculty’s water polo program, allegedly facilitated by workers and directors.

Among the many defendants is former Harvard-Westlake participant Van Der Woude.

“The criticism walks by a myriad of allegations of racial abuse starting from Aidan being known as the N-word to being actually whipped with train bands within the weight room supposedly re-enacting slavery,” mentioned Romain’s legal professional, Daniel Watkins.

The lawsuit additionally claims Van Der Woude sexually assaulted Romain repeatedly, each within the weight room and underwater within the pool.

“The core of the lawsuit is that the college failed to guard Aidan,” Watkins mentioned. “They did not report the assaults as they had been occurring to legislation enforcement.”

Van Der Woude’s lawyer, Michael Artan, informed Eyewitness Information: “We don’t intend to litigate this matter within the media.

“Mr. Van Der Woude’s denials and different responses shall be clear and unambiguous in his protection to the Criticism at hand.”

The college can be disputing Romain’s claims.

“Harvard-Westlake won’t provide particular remark apart from to say that it unequivocally disputes many of those allegations that mischaracterize information and the college’s actions,” learn the assertion.

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