Butch Carter, a former NBA player and coach, has come forward with shocking allegations of sexual abuse against Dr. Bradford Bomba Sr., the doctor for the Indiana University basketball team during his time as a player. In an amended lawsuit filed on March 20, 2025, in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Indiana, Carter claims he endured sexual abuse from Bomba, who performed unnecessary rectal examinations on healthy athletes.
This claim makes Carter the fifth former Indiana University basketball player to report similar abuse and to have previously complained about Dr. Bomba's conduct to legendary coach Bobby Knight. According to the lawsuit, Carter asserts that Bomba inserted at least one of his fingers into his anus during a physical exam in 1979 at the university’s Assembly Hall, a shocking revelation that raises significant questions about the medical practices associated with the program at the time.
Carter, now 66 years old, played for Indiana from 1976 to 1980, and he has revealed that his experience with inappropriate examinations was not isolated. He recounted that after the abusive incident, he immediately approached Knight, team trainer Bob Young, and university official George Taliaferro. “I am proud to come forward and I hope that other IU basketball players will come forward to share their experiences publicly,” Carter said in a statement released on the same day the amended lawsuit was filed.
According to the documents, when Carter communicated his concerns to Knight regarding Bomba's behavior, Knight dismissed his complaints, insisting that such examinations were routine. Carter stated that Young had similarly brushed aside his complaints, perpetuating a culture of silence surrounding the issue.
In the earlier account included in the lawsuit, Carter provided details about a conversation he had with Knight during his senior year. He insisted he would no longer seek medical assistance from Bomba, citing his earlier abusive experience. Despite his persistent complaints to Knight about Bomba's conduct, Carter claimed that little to no action was taken against the doctor. He vividly recalled telling Taliaferro about the incident, to which Taliaferro, the first African American football player at Indiana University, responded with disgust, saying, “Bomba is a piece of s---.”
The allegations in Carter’s lawsuit are part of a broader legal battle that includes other former players — John Flowers, Haris Mujezinovic, Charlie Miller, and Larry Richardson Jr. — all of whom have come forth claiming they too experienced similar abuse. The original lawsuit was filed in October 2024 with two plaintiffs, but has since expanded as more individuals felt empowered to come forward.
It appears that the abuse may have gone unaddressed for years. Carter stated that even as he took part in NBA teams, he continued to receive annual physical examinations, none of which involved the same invasive practices he endured at Indiana. He emphasized that the only time a rectal examination occurred post-college was during a training camp, when he had a swollen prostate.
As of now, Dr. Bomba, now 88 years old, has not publicly commented on the lawsuit and could not be reached at the numbers available for him. However, Mark Bode, a spokesperson for the university, noted that Indiana University has initiated an independent review of the allegations, which were first revealed in a private report from a former student-athlete regarding inappropriate examinations conducted by Bomba.
This lawsuit, brought under Title IX, a federal law that mandates that all educational institutions receiving federal funds take measures to protect students from sexual misconduct, raises substantial signposts regarding athlete safety and medical oversight in college sports. As Carter and other plaintiffs seek justice and accountability, their bravery serves as a beacon, encouraging other athletes who may have faced similar situations over the years to come forward.
The legacy of alleged abuses at Indiana University continues to unfold, challenging the institution to reflect on its handling of past misconduct and prompting a critical examination of athletic and medical practices that prioritize the welfare of young athletes.
