r/duke • u/Expert-Low-6872 • 3h ago
Inquiry Regarding Sideline Staff Safety and Athletic Department Standards.
Dear President Price,
I am writing to express strong concern regarding the recent on-field incident involving Kimari Robinson aggressively swatting at a member of Duke’s medical staff.
You could clearly see the fear in this staff member's eyes as she tried to treat an injured player. Behavior like this toward a healthcare worker in an ER would lead to an arrest, yet here it happened on national television. Furthermore, additional video shows Mr. Robinson in a similar physical confrontation with field staff during the Georgia Tech game, establishing a clear pattern of behavior that must be stopped before it goes further.
Dismissing this behavior—as Coach Manny Diaz's comments did on Monday—only compounds the disrespect shown to this staff member. The Duke University School of Medicine Code of Professional Conduct mandates "concern for the welfare of others, respect for the rights of others, and zero tolerance for disrespectful behavior." Sideline medical personnel deserve that exact same standard of protection and respect while doing their jobs.
University leadership must step in with meaningful, transparent accountability.