Seth Udinski, FISM News
FISM News reported earlier this week that Washington State University had fired five football coaches who had refused to get the COVID-19 shot. A new development reveals that former head coach Nick Rolovich, who had applied for a religious exemption as a devout Roman Catholic and was denied, is fighting back.
Rolovich is suing the school for “discriminatory and vindictive behavior,” specifically against athletic director Pat Chun. Under new state vaccine mandates implemented by Washington Gov. Jay Inslee which required all state employees to receive the jab by Oct. 18, the university terminated Rolovich and four other assistant coaches. The school is also withholding Rolovich’s $3 million-per-year salary, putting the blame of the separation on the former coach by calling it a “for-cause” firing.
Rolovich’s lawyer Brian Failing said in a statement,
Chun’s animus towards Coach Rolovich’s sincerely held religious beliefs, and Chun’s dishonesty at the expense of Coach Rolovich during the past year, is damning and will be thoroughly detailed in litigation. Chun’s discriminatory and vindictive behavior has caused immeasurable harm to Coach Rolovich and his family…It is a tragic and damning commentary on our culture, and more specifically, on Chun, that Coach Rolovich has been derided, demonized and ultimately fired from his job, merely for being devout in his Catholic faith.
Chun believes he is doing what is right by following orders and exhibiting transparency with Rolovich. He defended his decision on Monday, saying,
We’ve had conversations that date back months. He was resolute in his stance and his right to make a choice. That choice did not put him in compliance with this proclamation from the governor, and that is why we sit here today.
This could be a potentially vital case for the protection of religious and health freedom in America. FISM News will continue to provide updates as this development moves to court.