Thursday, February 22, 2007

It Ain't Just The Bengals Doin' Wrong

Cincinnati investigating possible recruiting violations

The University of Cincinnati is investigating allegations that current football players and recruits engaged in sex acts with a former soccer player during a recruiting visit, according to a published report.

UC spokesman Greg Hand said on Tuesday that the university is "conducting an investigation."

The Cincinnati Enquirer first reported the story.

The allegations came from an anonymous letter dated Feb. 14 that was sent to UC president Nancy Zimpher, Daniel Cummins, the director of judicial affairs, and Barbara Rinto, the director of the UC Women's Center. The note was signed, "A Concerned Athletic Department Employee" according to the paper.

The newspaper reported that the letter said the sex acts took place during a party at which alcohol was served, the sex acts were videotaped and the tapes have been circulated in UC dormitories.

"I've been in a college environment long enough to know that any kind of allegations need to be thoroughly looked at," football coach Brian Kelly said about the reports. "Everything that I heard should be taken seriously and should be handled by the appropriate people."

In 2004, the NCAA passed emergency legislation after the widely-publicized allegations of parties involving sex and alcohol for football recruits at the University of Colorado. The new NCAA rules required schools prohibit the use of alcohol and sex as enticements in recruiting.

If the allegations are true, Hand said, it would be a violation of the university code of conduct as well as a likely violation of residence hall regulations and athletic department on-campus recruiting visit rules.

At this point, there are no allegations of criminal conduct.

"We just don't know what we have," Hand said. "The facts are that there are anonymous allegations and we're trying to find answers."

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