Federal race discrimination and conspiracy claims against Jamie McGregor & USA Rugby will proceed into discovery
Updated Link: https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/USCOURTS-txwd-1_24-cv-01076/pdf/USCOURTS-txwd-1_24-cv-01076-4.pdf
The Federal race discrimination and conspiracy claims against USA Rugby move forward
The federal civil rights lawsuit brought by rugby referee Justin X. Hale against USA Rugby and Jamie McGregor, USA Rugby’s Director of Training & Education, has cleared a major procedural hurdle.
The case, filed in September 2024, alleges that USA Rugby selectively enforced an unwritten restriction against Hale, a Black referee and member of USA Rugby’s National Development Group, because he officiated matches for National Collegiate Rugby (NCR). Hale alleges that multiple white referees also worked NCR events but continued receiving USA Rugby and professional opportunities without similar consequences.
After multiple rounds of motions to dismiss, a federal Magistrate Judge recommended that Hale’s race discrimination claim under 42 U.S.C. § 1981 and civil rights conspiracy claim under 42 U.S.C. § 1985 be allowed to proceed.
USA Rugby and McGregor objected to that recommendation and asked the District Court to dismiss the surviving claims.
The District Judge rejected those objections.
On race discrimination, the Court found it could draw “the plausible inference that USA Rugby and McGregor knew of similarly situated white individuals who officiated NCR events but nonetheless ‘faced no repercussions.’”
The Court concluded: “Plaintiff has sufficiently pleaded a race discrimination claim under § 1981.”
On the conspiracy claim, the Court pointed to allegations that McGregor reached an agreement with MLR’s head referee manager, David Wilkerson, that no further MLR contracts would be offered to Hale until he spoke with McGregor, concluding: “At this stage of the litigation, this is enough to plead a conspiracy between two individuals.”
As a result, Hale’s federal race discrimination and conspiracy claims will now proceed as the case moves forward.
