The U.S. Center for SafeSport ruled yesterday that former University of Kentucky swim coach Lars Jorgensen is “permanently ineligible” from coaching due to sexual violence, according to its Centralized Disciplinary Database. 

The database lists Jorgensen’s misconduct as an intimate relationship involving a power imbalance, physical misconduct, retaliation, sexual harassment and sexual misconduct.

In summer 2023, UK allowed Jorgensen to resign from his position amid allegations of sexual assault, according to KRNL magazine. 

On April 24, 2024, two of Jorgensen’s former UK swimmers filed a pending lawsuit against Jorgensen, UK Athletic Director Mitch Barnhart and Gary Conelly, former Kentucky swim head coach.

The accusations regarded a pattern of sexual harassment and assault, according to KRNL.

The lawsuit also alleges UK hired Jorgensen knowingly as officials from the University of Toledo contacted UK about inappropriate relationships Jorgensen had with their students.

“This is no joke at all and I cannot stomach the fact that (Jorgensen) will be coaching women again,” Mark Howard, a former swimming assistant coach at the University of Toledo wrote to Conelly.

According to an order filed in the U.S. District Court, a federal judge set a Title IX for a five-day jury trial beginning June 22, 2026.

Kristi Willett, the executive director of public relations at UK, claimed the university “was not aware of the most serious allegations until this lawsuit was filed in an email sent to KRNL on Jan. 8, 2025.

UK has not commented further on the allegations of misconduct and no criminal investigations have been opened, according to KRNL.

Barnhart declined to comment on the lawsuit via text from Tony Neely, assistant director for athletics communications and public relations stating, “We do not do interviews on pending litigation, so we will decline the request.”

The Kentucky Kernel contacted Jorgensen’s lawyers for a statement and are awaiting a response.