Paige Shiver, the former executive assistant to former University of Michigan head football coach Sherrone Moore, opened up about their relationship in a 5-minute segment Friday on ABC’s “Good Morning America” that included the revelation that she had an abortion.
Shiver revealed the relationship resulted in a pregnancy that doctors recommended she not keep because of Shiver’s genetic Pompe disease. The rare disease causes progressive muscle weakness, respiratory failure and heart issues.
Shiver said through tears and a quivering lip that she wanted to keep the baby, but medical experts told her an abortion would be the healthier decision. ABC reporter Linsey Davis asked what Moore advised.
“He said, ‘You have to do what’s right for your body,'” Shiver said.
Shiver said the relationship lasted four years and was “encouraged” by members of the university’s athletic department, Davis said, adding that Shiver characterized the relationship as an “open secret” and that the leadership was aware of it.
“(Moore) controlled everything that was going on in my life, and (the university) didn’t do anything about it,” Shiver said.
UM Assistant Vice President for Public Affairs and Internal Communications Paul Corliss said in a texted statement that the university terminated Moore after discovering the relationship and that the university “expected more” from its leaders.
“The University of Michigan terminated Sherrone Moore promptly upon discovering his undisclosed workplace relationship with a direct report,” the statement read. “His conduct violated university policy, and we expect more from our leaders. The University of Michigan is committed to ensuring a professional and respectful workplace for all members of its community.”
Shiver, 32, said the relationship began when she was an intern with the Athletic Department. Shiver, then 28, and Moore, then 36 and the team’s offensive coordinator, began a “consensual, intimate relationship.”
Moore’s attorney, Ellen Michaels, told ABC that Moore had closed that chapter of his life.
When Moore was promoted to head coach, she was promoted to his executive assistant. To keep her job, Shiver said, she felt she needed to continue the relationship.
Despite the worries about job security, Shiver said she tried to end the relationship multiple times. Every time, she said, Moore would manipulate her into staying with him ― sometimes by threatening self-harm.
“Every time I tried to pull away, he always had a story,” Shiver said. “He always had a way to pull me in and make me feel that I couldn’t leave him because he was so miserable without me.”
Earlier this month, Moore was sentenced to 18 months of probation for trespassing after breaking into Shiver’s home.
After the interview aired, Shiver’s attorneys, Andrew M. Stroth and Steven A. Hart, released a statment.
“The University of Michigan Athletic Department’s systemic failure to comply with basic policies and procedures created and enabled a hostile and male dominated environment at Schembechler Hall that traumatized Ms. Shiver,” the statement read. “This environment was an open secret. The university chose to focus solely on winning at all costs on the football field and to disregard Ms. Shiver’s safety and well being. Interim President Domenico Grasso, General Counsel Tim Lynch and the Board of Regents must take accountability for this failure and commit to building a NCAA and Title IX compliant Athletic Department across all sports.”
Athletic department investigation
The months-long investigation into the university’s athletic department appears to be completed. A request for March invoices from Jenner & Block returned no documents. The last invoice obtained by The Detroit News showed the university spent over $9.5 million on the investigation.
“It’s a bit embarrassing we keep hiring external lawyers,” Faculty Senate President David Peterson said Friday. “We should be able to look after our own house.”
The investigation began looking into allegations of an inappropriate relationship between Moore and Shiver. After Shiver came forward and Moore was fired, the investigation expanded to look into concerns over how Moore was fired and the broad culture of the athletic department that allowed the relationship to continue without oversight and multiple other scandals within the department over the last few years.
Peterson and the other members of the Faculty Senate argued in a resolution earlier this month that the athletic department needs more oversight by academic governance. In the past, he said, the faculty sat on an oversight board, but when the new Advisory Board for Intercollegiate Athletics was created in 2002, it limited the ability of the faculty to intervene in department operations.
The Faculty Senate argued the newly created Ethics, Integrity, and Compliance Office should have greater responsibilities in relation to the athletic department and so athletes, coaches, and staff would feel “comfortable discussing difficult matters with a supportive and independent third party,” the resolution said.
satwood@detroitnews.com
This article originally appeared on The Detroit News: Shiver reveals abortion, ‘open secret’ relations with Sherrone Moore. Watch video
Reporting by Sarah Atwood, The Detroit News / The Detroit News
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