Nine Stanford University cheerleaders air toxic allegations against head coach

Nine current and former Stanford cheerleaders have accused head coach Sarah Levine of intimidation, public humiliation and pressuring injured athletes to perform. Their allegations, reported by the Stanford Daily, raise concerns about athletes’ safety and how injury complaints were handled.

One former cheerleader, identified as Rush, said he was diagnosed with a minor concussion after returning to practice about a week and a half after a bicycle accident. He alleged Levine dismissed his concerns and told him to repeat a stunt after another athlete fell on him; he later quit the team. A former teammate, identified as Ashley, described a serious back injury during practice on a hard court with temporary mats, and said she felt pushed to resume stunting and document her injuries. Levine, who has coached the squad for 18 years, had not responded to a request for comment.