While the U works on JRob's buyout, U administrators are also now zoning in on the wrestlers who took Xanax and whether they will be suspended. Really?? It took them until now...3 months into the investigation to finally get to interviewing the wrestlers who used? That sure seems just a little bit SLOW!!!
I said in an earlier thread that I thought there would be suspensions for the 4 drug sellers and also lesser suspensions for the 12 other wrestlers who used drugs. So this may not be "Breaking News" except for the snail's pace of all of this.
I think there should be suspensions, but I am inclined to be lenient...as all of the guilty wrestlers were first time offenders. These are good, hard working kids that made a big mistake, and they have learned their lesson. I say one month for the 12 users and 2-3 months for the sellers.
Here's the KSTP article:
Serious Discipline Potentially For Some U of M Wrestlers As Drug Investigation Enters New Phase
KSTP.com
Stephen Tellier
Fri, 19 Aug 2016 18:05:33 CDT
A source with direct knowledge of the ongoing investigation into whether University of Minnesota wrestlers used illegal drugs told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS that the inquiry is entering a new phase, and that serious discipline could be on the horizon for some wrestlers.
Gophers Wrestling Coach J Robinson has been on paid administrative leave all summer. Documents show he had a list of sixteen wrestlers he said admitted to using or selling Xanax last season, and that he refused to provide details to police unless his players were given immunity.
State and federal prosecutors declined to bring criminal charges against Robinson or any Gophers wrestlers.
But now, the source said that, in the next few weeks, university officials will begin interviewing all wrestlers suspected of using the often-abused prescription drug last season, and that any wrestler who is found to have been less than truthful could face suspension or a loss of their scholarship.
That could potentially throw the coming season into disarray before it even begins.
Emails and text messages, also released by the university on Friday, include an email from Brandon Eggum, Head Assistant Wrestling Coach at the time, and now the Acting Head Coach of the team, apparently written to many wrestlers. It states that someone with the Office of General Counsel may be contacting them about the internal investigation, and that it's a personal decision whether they want to meet with them.
The newly released documents also provide a closer look at what top university officials were saying to each other just after the entire wrestling team was drug tested.
On March 24, two days after the testing, Moira Novak, the university's Director of Athletic Medicine, forwarded the drug test results to Beth Goetz, the Interim Athletic Director at the time, adding, "I just want to make sure that this information is being reported to you."
Three wrestlers failed the drug test, even though they weren't tested for Xanax.
Police documents show that the three wrestlers were supposed to get drug and alcohol assessments.
On March 28, Robinson texted the wrestling team's assistant athletic trainer, saying, "These are the guys that should come see you today and get an appointment." The names that followed that portion of the text were redacted.
Two days later, the trainer told Robinson, "I was told I need to wait for the (Athletics Department's Drug and Alcohol Standards) review board to give sanctions before I can proceed."
Robinson replied, "Not concerned so much about sanctions. I don't believe there's many except meeting with someone and maybe some community service. Just wanted to get it in the pipeline and get it started. No sanctions from my part as I told them amnesty if they came in Saturday or Sunday."
On April 4, the trainer updated Robinson, "The review board has met but was waiting to speak to you before moving forward."
Robinson replied, "What's there not to move forward on... What's the concert (sic)."
The trainer's response was redacted.
5 EYEWITNESS NEWS reached out to the university on Friday, but it would not confirm that interviews of many wrestlers are imminent, and declined to comment on the status of the internal investigation because it is still ongoing.
Last month, Robinson told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS that he expected to return as head coach next season. But earlier this week, sources told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS that the university and Robinson's attorney are currently negotiating a buyout, which would end Robinson's 30-year tenure with the Gophers.
I said in an earlier thread that I thought there would be suspensions for the 4 drug sellers and also lesser suspensions for the 12 other wrestlers who used drugs. So this may not be "Breaking News" except for the snail's pace of all of this.
I think there should be suspensions, but I am inclined to be lenient...as all of the guilty wrestlers were first time offenders. These are good, hard working kids that made a big mistake, and they have learned their lesson. I say one month for the 12 users and 2-3 months for the sellers.
Here's the KSTP article:
Serious Discipline Potentially For Some U of M Wrestlers As Drug Investigation Enters New Phase
KSTP.com
Stephen Tellier
Fri, 19 Aug 2016 18:05:33 CDT
A source with direct knowledge of the ongoing investigation into whether University of Minnesota wrestlers used illegal drugs told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS that the inquiry is entering a new phase, and that serious discipline could be on the horizon for some wrestlers.
Gophers Wrestling Coach J Robinson has been on paid administrative leave all summer. Documents show he had a list of sixteen wrestlers he said admitted to using or selling Xanax last season, and that he refused to provide details to police unless his players were given immunity.
State and federal prosecutors declined to bring criminal charges against Robinson or any Gophers wrestlers.
But now, the source said that, in the next few weeks, university officials will begin interviewing all wrestlers suspected of using the often-abused prescription drug last season, and that any wrestler who is found to have been less than truthful could face suspension or a loss of their scholarship.
That could potentially throw the coming season into disarray before it even begins.
Emails and text messages, also released by the university on Friday, include an email from Brandon Eggum, Head Assistant Wrestling Coach at the time, and now the Acting Head Coach of the team, apparently written to many wrestlers. It states that someone with the Office of General Counsel may be contacting them about the internal investigation, and that it's a personal decision whether they want to meet with them.
The newly released documents also provide a closer look at what top university officials were saying to each other just after the entire wrestling team was drug tested.
On March 24, two days after the testing, Moira Novak, the university's Director of Athletic Medicine, forwarded the drug test results to Beth Goetz, the Interim Athletic Director at the time, adding, "I just want to make sure that this information is being reported to you."
Three wrestlers failed the drug test, even though they weren't tested for Xanax.
Police documents show that the three wrestlers were supposed to get drug and alcohol assessments.
On March 28, Robinson texted the wrestling team's assistant athletic trainer, saying, "These are the guys that should come see you today and get an appointment." The names that followed that portion of the text were redacted.
Two days later, the trainer told Robinson, "I was told I need to wait for the (Athletics Department's Drug and Alcohol Standards) review board to give sanctions before I can proceed."
Robinson replied, "Not concerned so much about sanctions. I don't believe there's many except meeting with someone and maybe some community service. Just wanted to get it in the pipeline and get it started. No sanctions from my part as I told them amnesty if they came in Saturday or Sunday."
On April 4, the trainer updated Robinson, "The review board has met but was waiting to speak to you before moving forward."
Robinson replied, "What's there not to move forward on... What's the concert (sic)."
The trainer's response was redacted.
5 EYEWITNESS NEWS reached out to the university on Friday, but it would not confirm that interviews of many wrestlers are imminent, and declined to comment on the status of the internal investigation because it is still ongoing.
Last month, Robinson told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS that he expected to return as head coach next season. But earlier this week, sources told 5 EYEWITNESS NEWS that the university and Robinson's attorney are currently negotiating a buyout, which would end Robinson's 30-year tenure with the Gophers.
