Former Bulldog's lawsuit dismissed

By Mike Morris

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

An Athens judge has dismissed a lawsuit by a former University of Georgia football player that claimed the school's Athletic Association was negligent for not insuring him against a career-ending injury.

Former Bulldogs defensive back Decory Bryant had filed the suit in 2004, also naming the former assistant athletics director, Hoke Wilder, as a co-defendant.

Bryant suffered a career-ending spine injury in a game against the University of Alabama-Birmingham during his junior year, just days after starting talks with Wilder about establishing an insurance policy that would cover Bryant for up to $500,000.

Bryant was seeking $500,000 plus punitive damages in the suit.

Earlier this month, Athens-Clarke County Superior Court Judge Lawton Stephens dismissed the suit, ruling that the Athletic Association "is an arm of the state and is therefore entitled to assert sovereign immunity."

In his Dec. 4 ruling, Stephens also said that Wilder, as an employee of the state, was also entitled to sovereign immunity.

Bryant had claimed that he and two other players, who meet standards to be declared eligible for the NFL draft after their junior seasons, sought to participate in the Exceptional Student Athlete Disability Insurance Program.

On Oct. 21, 2003, Bryant notified Wilder that he wanted a policy and that his parents would pay the premium of $5,103, according to the complaint. Bryant charged that Wilder never secured his signature for the paperwork, and on Oct. 25, Bryant's career came to an unexpected end in a 16-13 victory over UAB. He had spinal surgery the following day.