ROYAL OAK (AP) — A deaf high school wrestler in suburban Detroit filed a lawsuit last Thursday to try to get a sign-language interpreter closer to the action.
The Michigan High School Athletic Association said an interpreter is allowed in the same area as a coach, typically the corner of a mat. But lawyers for wrestler Ellis Kempf of Royal Oak High School said it’s not close enough and unfair, especially when an opponent can hear guidance from a coach without looking around.
A referee disallowed Kempf’s interpreter during a match last season, according to the lawsuit.
“We aren’t seeking money and he doesn’t want an advantage,” the teen’s mother, Elizabeth Kempf, said in a statement. “He just wants to continue using his interpreter so he can understand what his coach wants him to do during matches — that’s all.”
MHSAA spokesman John Johnson said he can’t comment on the specifics of the case, and the association plans to file a response in court.
“An interpreter is allowed,” Johnson said.
Kempf, who wrestles in the 152-pound weight class, has been deaf since age 2 due to meningitis. Cochlear implants allow him some hearing, but he can’t wear the external components during wrestling matches.
Full access to public notices, articles, columns, archives, statistics, calendar and more
Three-County & Full Pass also available
