Water Polo Player Apologizes Amid Abuse Lawsuit

A water polo athlete, accused of racially harassing and sexually assaulting a teammate at a prestigious Los Angeles private school, has expressed remorse in a written apology, as revealed in recent court filings.

The lawsuit notes that teammate Lucca van der Woude addressed the team’s group chat after a series of racial incidents involving Aidan Roman, including continuous racial slurs and invasions of privacy on campus.

“I want to apologize for everything that happened. Most of it was my fault and I’m sorry,” Van der Woude wrote on January 26, 2024, as claimed in the complaint. He acknowledged the negative impact on the team and expressed a commitment to improve.

The lawsuit alleges that van der Woude and two other teammates subjected Roman, who was a minor at the time, to repeated acts of racial and sexual abuse from August 2022 to February 2024.

Furthermore, it contends that Harvard-Westlake School, which charges an annual tuition of $52,500, neglected to report or investigate the alleged abuse after being notified.

Janine Jones, a former vice provost at the school, reportedly communicated with Roman’s parents after they informed her of the assault that allegedly occurred in February 2024. She expressed concerns about making Roman uncomfortable by checking in on him.

The school has denied the allegations made by Roman’s family and insists through its lawyers that it took the reports seriously and cooperated with law enforcement. A spokesperson stated that the institution promptly launched an investigation into incidents in the water polo program.

The complaint outlines how Roman, suffering from severe emotional distress due to the abuse, felt compelled to move to Barcelona in 2024 to continue his water polo training in a safer environment. Meanwhile, van der Woude, once seen as a potential Olympic athlete, has reportedly gone into hiding.

He was not available for comment when approached at his family’s residence in Costa Mesa.