Flynn Family Legal Defense Fund

On February 23, 2023 UC Irvine’s (UCI) women's water polo player Nina Flynn was charged by UC Irvine’s Title IX Office with committing violative acts against two players on an opponent's water polo team. The charges were for Nina’s alleged touching of two players' private parts during a water polo game on February 16, 2023.

Once these charges were made, the Title IX office began a formal investigation. Nina was originally suspended from all competition, but on March 10, 2023 that suspension was lifted. However, Nina now faces a lengthy investigation.

A violation under the applicable Title IX Regulations only requires the intentional touching of a Complainant’s intimate body part(s) without consent, whether clothed or unclothed. An intimate body part is defined as the genitals, anus, groin, breast, or buttocks. There are no exceptions. With a definition so broad, every water polo game, male or female, is full of such Title IX violations.

Based upon these accusations, UCI could expel Nina from UCI and refer the matter for criminal prosecution, or exclude her from the UCI women’s water polo team, among other sanctions. In addition to the 2023 season, Nina has two more seasons of NCAA eligibility left.

Nina and the rest of the UCI women's water polo team vehemently deny these accusations and are determined to not only fight for Nina’s innocence, but also for the integrity of water polo. If a Title IX investigation becomes the forum for alleged game time transgressions, chaos to all water polo programs will result.

The legal defense of a Title IX claim is a highly specialized field of law, and the Flynn family has hired legal counsel to defend against these false accusations.

Please contribute what you can to assist the Flynn family with their legal expenses.