Ollie dealt loss in discrimination claim

He’s no longer coaching, but Kevin Ollie was dealt a loss on Tuesday.

A federal judge dismissed a racial discrimination claim by Ollie and his lawyers, who argued that Ollie was treated differently than other white coaches, including Jim Calhoun, when he was dismissed as UConn’s men’s basketball coach last March .

However, Ollie’s lawyer, Jacques Parenteau, vows that his client is “playing a long game,” and will continue to pursue a race discrimination claim at a later date, after his arbitration process with UConn is over.

Ollie is fighting the school for the nearly $11 million left on his contract when he was fired for “just cause.”

Per a collective bargaining agreement, UConn can end the arbitration proceedings if Ollie files a racial discrimination complaint. The school used this method to dismiss another claim in recent years, Parenteau noted.

But Parenteau noted that Judge Kari Dooley indicated that the race claim simply isn’t “ripe” for adjudication at this time, but can be raised at a later date.

“We are disappointed by the court’s decision,” Parenteau said in a statement. “However, as noted by the District Court, this is not a decision on the merits of Kevin Ollie’s claim; the court is simply indicating that Kevin Ollie can raise these issues at a later date when the issue is “ripe” for decision. Unlike the District Court, we believe that the University of Connecticut’s efforts to deter coach Ollie from pursuing and preserving his discrimination claims are sufficient to trigger the jurisdiction of the federal court.”

Parenteau said he is considering an appeal of the decision.

Ollie has already surpassed the six-month statute of limitations to file a discrimination claim. Obviously, he will still be past that time frame if he is able

to file after the arbitration process. The two sides have yet to even agree on the rules of the arbitration process at this point.

UConn will almost certainly argue that the statute of limitations has expired if and when the race claim moves forward. However, Parenteau is hoping that a recent decision in the Seventh Circuit

Court of Appeals will set a precedent and allow Ollie to continue with his claim.

“We remain confident that Kevin Ollie will be able to present his claims of discrimination following the arbitration,” Parenteau said. “The action undertaken by coach Ollie in federal court has also established a basis for arguments at a later date that are suggested by the District Court’s opinion. Kevin Ollie understands that fighting for his rights against the University of Connecticut is a difficult undertaking, but make no mistake about it; Kevin Ollie is playing a long game.”

Jessica Hill / Associated Press Former UConn coach Kevin Ollie’s racial discrimination claim was dismissed by a federal judge Tuesday.