The University of Florida concluded a four-month Title IX investigation regarding the sexual harassment and stalking allegations made against men’s basketball head coach [autotag]Todd Golden[/autotag] Monday, clearing the third-year Gators coach after finding “no evidence” of any wrongdoing.
“The University of Florida informed me that the Title IX investigation into Coach Todd Golden has finally been dismissed,” Golden’s attorney William Shepherd said in a statement. “This investigation has found no evidence to support the allegations against Coach Golden. The University’s conclusion proves that the complaint was meritless.”
Shepherd also claimed that other parties “did not respect the investigative process,” accusing the unnamed subjects of driving an agenda in favor of self-interest, leaking confidential material, harassment and intimidation.
The university also released a statement confirming the news.
“After a thorough investigation that included dozens of interviews over the past months, the University of Florida has found no evidence that Todd Golden violated Title IX. The Title IX office has closed its investigation,” according to a report from the Associated Press. “… Throughout this process, Coach Golden has demonstrated tremendous focus and professionalism, and we commend him for that. As the Gators move forward, we reaffirm our commitment to promoting a championship experience with integrity.”
Golden refrained from commenting publicly on the investigation out of respect for the process, but he addressed the allegations briefly in November after releasing an official statement through Shepherd. He commented on the Title IX process again recently, following separate allegations made against assistant coach Taurean Green.
“For me, I am just frustrated and disappointed that a Title IX mechanism that is created to protect both sides during a situation like this — that confidentiality and privacy continue to be abused,” he said.
Although Green remains under investigation, Golden’s clearance is like a gray cloud moving from over the picnic. Florida is in the middle of its best run since winning a national championship, and a guilty verdict could have come at any time and removed him from the picture.
Golden mentioned that the players are good about tuning out the coaching staff’s troubles, but serious allegations like that can raise some questions. Now there’s no lingering what-if in the back of anyone’s head and Florida can focus on the rest of the conference schedule, the SEC Tournament and the NCAA Tournament.
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