Racism allegations lead to legal action TAMPA, Fla. (AP) -- A year after an internal investigation found evidence of racism in the University of South Florida women's basketball program, a former player has filed a lawsuit claiming blacks were singled out and segregated on the team. Dione Smith, a starter for three seasons but dismissed from the team by coach Jerry Ann Winters in April, filed the lawsuit Thursday in U.S. District Court. The lawsuit also names Winters, the university and athletic director Paul Griffin. The lawsuit alleges that Winters, the team's coach for four seasons, often used a racial slur in referring to blacks, including members of her team. It also alleges that Winters segregated the players on road trips, treated black players more harshly and separated the players by skin color during practice. Last season's team consisted of eight whites, four blacks and one Hispanic. Three of the five starters were black. Smith said she was cut after she sang a song during a team bus trip that questioned Winters' job security. "The only thing I've ever dreamed about was playing basketball," Smith said. "But this cycle can't keep on going. Someone had to step up." Harry Battson, USF's associate vice president for public affairs, said the university would take action if any wrongdoing is substantiated. Winters declined to comment on the allegations to local news organizations and did not immediately return calls for comment Friday. Ron Gathright, Winters' former assistant coach, called the lawsuit a "witch hunt." "Coach Winters is not the villain," he said. "Racism is the furthest thing from her mind." Another former player, Sarah Wilson, who is white, said she never heard Winters use racist words. "If so, I would have piped up," she said. But Iris Fleming, a former player who is black, said she heard Winters make racist comments and at first thought she was joking. But the comments persisted. "After a while it wasn't funny," said Fleming, who played from 1996 to 1998. Last year, university officials investigated allegations of racism and concluded such comments were made often and loosely. Winters was ordered to attend a diversity seminar, and in turn ordered her team to attend it with her. The case was then closed. ------------------ In order to be a success in life, you need 2 things: 1. Don't tell everything you know.
