The Colorado State football was suspended Friday due to allegations of racism and verbal abuse by coaches and athletic administrators.
Colorado State suspends football activities following allegations of racism, verbal abuse https://t.co/wVVP6tijGq via @coloradoan
— Steve Berkowitz (@ByBerkowitz) August 8, 2020
The Coloradoan reached out to CSU leadership on Friday seeking interviews regarding an investigation by the paper looking into allegations by multiple former CSU players and athletics staff who say they witnessed racial insensitivity and emotional and verbal abuse among coaches and athletic administrators.
The below is a statement from Director of Athletics Joe Parker:
“Today, we learned of some extremely troubling allegations of racism and verbal abuse from CSU’s athletic administration generally and in the football program specifically.
Colorado State University is committed to being an anti-racist university, and we will not tolerate any behavior or climate that goes against that core value. Moreover, CSU Athletics is committed to the health and well-being of student-athletes above all other priorities, and this includes their mental health. We believe it is our responsibility to make sure that all student-athletes feel welcomed and valued as members of an inclusive athletics community.
I have consulted with President (Joyce) McConnell about these new allegations, which obviously deeply concern her as well. Effective immediately, and for the best interests of our student-athletes, I am pausing all football-related activities indefinitely. This includes practices, workouts, and team meetings. I have also asked President McConnell to expand the independent investigation she announced on Tuesday to include a comprehensive review of our athletic department and football program specifically related to allegations of racism and verbal abuse. While we have been working hard towards playing football this fall, the holistic well-being of our student-athletes is our unequivocal top priority. We must and will address these allegations before we focus on playing football.”
McConnell announced via an email to student-athletes and department staffers Thursday that the investigation into allegations over mishandling of coronavirus protocols would be led by Husch Blackwell, a Kansas City-based legal firm.
“While we have been working hard towards playing football this fall, the holistic well-being of our student-athletes is our unequivocal top priority,” Parker said in the statement. “We must and will address these allegations before we focus on playing football.”
Husch Blackwell was the firm the University of Iowa used to investigate allegations of racial bias brought forward against the Iowa football program and its former strength coach Chris Doyle, who took a $1.1 million buyout in June.
The Coloradoan reported alarming news Thursday:
CSU football players and university athletic department staff say coaches have told players not to report COVID-19 symptoms, threatened players with reduced playing time if they quarantine and claim CSU is altering contact tracing reports to keep players practicing.
“I believe there is a cover-up going on at CSU,” said a current football player who wished to remain anonymous for fear of retribution. “But they could only cover it up so long and now that we have so many cases across athletics, they can’t cover it up anymore. It’s not about the health and safety of the players but about just trying to make money off the players.”
Said an athletic department staff member: “There are some red flags in the athletic department but the common denominator with this administration is to protect the coaches before the student-athletes and that makes them feel more like cattle than student-athletes.”
The Rams voluntarily shut down summer workouts July 29 following a surge in COVID-19 positive tests. The football program had 11 positive tests as of Aug. 3.