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University of Colorado rocked by rape scandal of only female player
Colorado, Feb 25: The University of Colorado names a new head football coach as allegations of sexual abuse continue.
Colorado, Feb 25: The University of Colorado names a new head football coach as allegations of sexual abuse continue.
The University of Colorado, a beloved local institution, is under siege in a sex scandal involving its football team, with critics charging that the school harbours a culture that puts athletes above the law. The Boulder school has been caught in a controversy over whether it uses alcohol and sex parties to recruit star athletes to its football team. Six women, including three who have sued in federal court, have reported being raped by football players during the era of head football coach Gary Barnett. CU President Elizabeth Hoffman and Chancellor Richard Byyny tried to calm the waters on Wednesday night when they announced Barnett had been placed on paid administrative leave while an independent panel investigates the school's recruiting program. The panel is set to meet on March 2 and its report is due April 30. While Barnett was placed on administrative leave, Brian Cabral was named interim head football coach. Cabral played for the school and has been an assistant for the past 15 years.
A football program is supposed to be fun with its pep rallies and games. Built in the 1920s and nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, Folsom Field is a spectacular setting for college football. The university's mascot, a 1,300-pound North American bison named Ralphie, adds to the colour when its handlers run her onto the field before home games.
The football controversy heated up on Tuesday after former player Katie Hnida, the only woman to ever play on the school's football team, told Sports Illustrated magazine she had been subjected to lewd comments by other players, groped in team huddles and raped by a teammate.
Barnett, in trying to explain why Hnida had been harassed, said in televised comments that she was an awful player who was not respected by team members.
"You know what guys do; they respect your ability. Katie was a girl, and not only was she a girl, she was terrible. She couldn't kick the ball through the uprights," he said.
He apologised for the remark on Thursday night when he said on CNN's "Larry King Live" saying, "I think I said the wrong thing the wrong way and at the wrong time."
Bureau Report
The University of Colorado, a beloved local institution, is under siege in a sex scandal involving its football team, with critics charging that the school harbours a culture that puts athletes above the law. The Boulder school has been caught in a controversy over whether it uses alcohol and sex parties to recruit star athletes to its football team. Six women, including three who have sued in federal court, have reported being raped by football players during the era of head football coach Gary Barnett. CU President Elizabeth Hoffman and Chancellor Richard Byyny tried to calm the waters on Wednesday night when they announced Barnett had been placed on paid administrative leave while an independent panel investigates the school's recruiting program. The panel is set to meet on March 2 and its report is due April 30. While Barnett was placed on administrative leave, Brian Cabral was named interim head football coach. Cabral played for the school and has been an assistant for the past 15 years.
A football program is supposed to be fun with its pep rallies and games. Built in the 1920s and nestled in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains, Folsom Field is a spectacular setting for college football. The university's mascot, a 1,300-pound North American bison named Ralphie, adds to the colour when its handlers run her onto the field before home games.
The football controversy heated up on Tuesday after former player Katie Hnida, the only woman to ever play on the school's football team, told Sports Illustrated magazine she had been subjected to lewd comments by other players, groped in team huddles and raped by a teammate.
Barnett, in trying to explain why Hnida had been harassed, said in televised comments that she was an awful player who was not respected by team members.
"You know what guys do; they respect your ability. Katie was a girl, and not only was she a girl, she was terrible. She couldn't kick the ball through the uprights," he said.
He apologised for the remark on Thursday night when he said on CNN's "Larry King Live" saying, "I think I said the wrong thing the wrong way and at the wrong time."
Bureau Report