‘Surviving Ohio State’ Documentary Delves Into the University’s Horrifying Sex Scandal

HBO’s set a premiere date and released a trailer for Surviving Ohio State, the documentary about the university’s sex abuse scandal. The documentary will premiere on HBO on Tuesday, June 17, 2025 at 9pm ET/PT.

Oscar and Emmy winner Eva Orner directed and serves as a producer. Additional producers include David C. Glasser, Grant Heslov, and George Clooney. Jon Wertheim, David Hutkin, Bob Yari, Ron Burkle, Corey Salter, Colin Smeeton, Marc Rosen, Nancy Abraham, Lisa Heller, and Bentley Weiner executive produce.

HBO offers this synopsis:

“Surviving Ohio State tells the story of the male victims of Dr. Richard Strauss, a sports medicine physician and serial sex abuser employed by The Ohio State University (OSU) from 1978 to 1998. Bravely told by the student-athletes and others who concealed their trauma for years, the film builds on the efforts of whistleblowers and journalists who exposed the scandal in 2018. It also examines the culture that allowed the abuse to continue unchecked for nearly two decades at OSU, as well as the survivors’ present-day fight to hold the school accountable.

Based on Jon Wertheim’s Sports Illustrated cover story ‘Why Aren’t More People Talking About the Ohio State Sex Abuse Scandal,’ Surviving Ohio State features numerous male athletes, including several former All-American wrestlers, who have come forward to share their experiences of abuse during their time at The Ohio State University. The film includes revealing interviews with OSU student-athlete alumni Mark Coleman, Adam DiSabato, Michael DiSabato, Will Knight, Al Novakowski, Rockey Ratliff, Dan Ritchie, and Mike Schyck; OSU alumnus Stephen Snyder-Hill, wrestling referee Frederick Feeney, and others.”