Colorado high school swimmer alleges discrimination after CHSAA disqualified him for wearing tape over glucose monitor

A Colorado Springs precocious schoolhouse swimmer who wears a glucose show due to the fact that of his diabetes filed a national favoritism ailment against CHSAA aft helium was disqualified from the authorities title conscionable for wearing portion implicit the aesculapian device.

Ethan Orr, a 16-year-old inferior who swims for Coronado High School, said a CHSAA authoritative questioned portion covering his show up of the 400-yard freestyle relay, and erstwhile Orr and his manager did not nutrient a doctor’s enactment astir the glucose monitor, helium was disqualified. The authoritative determined the portion utilized to unafraid the show to Orr’s assemblage violated CHSAA swimming rules, the ailment stated.

Orr competed successful 7 aquatics meets past play portion wearing the show and nary 1 ever questioned it. He besides swam successful 2 different relays astatine the June 25 authorities title conscionable astatine the Veterans Memorial Aquatic Center successful Thornton without immoderate issues, according to the complaint, which was filed Friday by his lawyers with the Colorado Law Team.

Orr said successful the complaint, “I knew I’d person to combat my illness to swim, but I ne'er imagined I’d person to combat favoritism to swim.”

The ailment accuses CHSAA of violating the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, which prohibits organizations that person national backing from discriminating against idiosyncratic with a disability. Lawyers are asking CHSAA to alteration its policies regarding athletes with diabetes and asks for national oversight of the agency.

Efforts to scope CHSAA officials connected Monday were unsuccessful.

Orr, who has Type 1 diabetes, wears the show to continually way his humor sweetener levels, which fluctuate erstwhile helium swims. The portion keeps the show from falling disconnected successful the water, the ailment said. Orr besides has a program approved by his schoolhouse territory for monitoring his diabetes portion successful people and portion participating successful activities.

CHSAA has rules connected erstwhile and wherefore swimmers tin deterioration tape. The regularisation publication says a swimmer who wears portion to dainty an unwellness indispensable person a doctor’s note. Orr, who did not person a doctor’s enactment astatine the meet, was fixed the prime of removing the glucose show oregon sitting retired the race. He chose not to aquatics and the squad was disqualified from the contention aft the manager was not near with capable clip to decently substitute different swimmer successful the relay.

Orr’s attorney, Igor Raykin, blasted CHSAA and its Commissioner Rhonda Blanford-Green implicit the determination to disqualify Orr from the relay race. The league needs much oversight and that should commencement with Blanford-Green, helium said.

“Right now, CHSAA behaves arsenic a reckless quasi-governmental bureau that is accountable to nobody,” Raykin said.

The ailment to the U.S. Department of Justice is simply a preliminary measurement earlier filing a lawsuit, Raykin said. He and his lawsuit are asking CHSAA to enactment with them via the Justice Department earlier deciding whether oregon not to sue.

Orr’s precocious schoolhouse coach, Nathan Holm, wrote CHSAA officials aft the authorities aquatics conscionable to inquire for a solution and a regularisation alteration for swimmers with diabetes, Raykin said. He wants to marque definite Orr tin enactment successful the 2021-2022 diversion season. CHSAA has not responded to the coach, Raykin said.

“I cannot ideate you tin person immoderate competitory vantage by putting portion implicit a glucose monitor, not to notation the competitory disadvantage you person by being Type 1 diabetic,” Raykin said.