Adidas has asked a federal judge to dismiss Rick Pitino’s lawsuit against them, alleging that the former University of Louisville basketball coach was “both aware and supported the scheme” to pay players, according to Jason Riley of WDRB.com.
Pitino filed a lawsuit against Adidas in October, claiming he was damaged by the apparel maker’s “outrageous conduct in conspiring to funnel money to the family of a college basketball recruit.”
Adidas has now countered Pitino, arguing he was aware of what was going on.
Adidas cited evidence that Pitino was asked to call James Gatto, an Adidas executive, to get more funding for a recruit, according to WDRB.com. Adidas claims Pitino called Gatto three times before the recruited committed to Louisville.
As a part of their motion for dismissal, Adidas also noted that this isn’t the first time the Louisville men’s basketball program have been accused of violating NCAA rules. The university was recently put on probation by the NCAA following an investigation into “sex acts performed for underage basketball recruits.”
The FBI has been investigating a number of college basketball assistant coaches, former Adidas employees and other parties involved in a “pay-for-play” scheme, which offered monetary incentives for recruits to commit to certain programs.
Chuck Person of Auburn, Emanuel Richardson of Arizona, Tony Bland of the USC and Lamont Evans of Oklahoma State have already been arrested and charged with fraud and corruption in the investigation.
