Judge tosses ex-Minnesota players' suit against university

Published Jun. 25, 2019 7:32 p.m. ET

MINNEAPOLIS (AP) — A federal judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by nine former University of Minnesota football players who claimed their rights were violated after a woman alleged she was the victim of a gang rape in 2016.

The Star Tribune reports that U.S. District Judge Donovan Frank found no merit to claims that the men were subjected to "extreme gender bias" due to pressure to crack down on alleged sexual offenders.

Frank ruled the players offered no factual support showing they received disparate treatment based upon what they said was an assumed culture of sexual misconduct among male athletes.

No criminal charges were filed in the alleged sexual assault. But the university found 10 football players were responsible for sexual misconduct. After appeals, five were ultimately expelled or suspended.

The university said it welcomed the decision.