Rays dismiss team doctor accused of sexual assault

The Tampa Bay Rays have terminated their relationship with team physician Dr. Michael Reilly, who had been with the franchise for 20 years, after Reilly was accused of making repeated, physical advances on a 16-year-old employee approximately ten years ago.

The woman, who identified herself as Brianna Rah, told her story via a YouTube video.

According to a report from the Tampa Bay Times, Tampa Bay’s front office was alerted to the video’s presence last week and acted quickly to suspend the physician, whose family is prominent in the Tampa Bay community, before finalizing the firing this morning and informing all staff members of his termination.

According to the report, the team found no evidence of players or staff reporting or experiencing any misconduct. The team issued the following press release this morning:

The Tampa Bay Rays have ended our contractual relationship with Dr. Michael Reilly, a team physician, and he is no longer affiliated with the organization.

Rah’s video testimony alleges several years of increasing advances by Reilly, which occurred during Rah’s employment at the physician’s office prior to her graduating high school. Specific details from the video have also been reported by the Times, and the video can be seen here. (Warning: this video contains descriptions of sexual abuse.)

The physician, previously the team doctor for the Tampa Bay Lightning and a chief of staff at St. Anthony’s Hospital, currently serves as the team doctor at St. Petersburg Catholic High School, according to the Times. A phone call to St. Petersburg Catholic High School was not answered on Tuesday afternoon.

UPDATE: The Tampa Bay Times has updated their story with the following information:

St. Petersburg Catholic officials also took action after being made aware of the video. Communications director Teresa L. Peterson said they contacted Reilly and he agreed to resign as volunteer team physician for the football team and as a member of the Diocesan Review Board.

Reilly also serves as personal physician to a number of Rays executives and staff.

The updated story also includes quotes from the physician claiming a consensual relationship did occur, but not while Rah was a minor.