NCAA hands Baylor probabtion, fine in sexual assault scandal, see
The NCAA said Wednesday that its long investigation of the Baylor sexual assault scandal would result in nothing more than probation and other relatively minor sanctions because the egregious, “unacceptable” behavior at the heart of the case did not violate its rules.
The NCAA ruling came more than five years after the scandal rocked the world’s largest Baptist university, leading to the firing of successful football coach Art Briles and the departure of athletic director Ian McCaw and school president Ken Starr.
The NCAA said the allegations centered on conduct never before presented to the Committee on Infractions, which has existed since 1951 — that Baylor “shielded football student-athletes from the institution’s disciplinary process and failed to report allegations of abhorrent misconduct by football student-athletes, including instances of sexual and interpersonal violence.”
The panel said Baylor admitted to moral and ethical failings in its handling of violence on the Waco campus but argued “that those failings, however egregious, did not constitute violations of NCAA legislation.”
“Ultimately, and with tremendous reluctance, this panel agrees,” the ruling said.
Golf
MORE OPENS IN PENNSYLVANIA » Already identified by its U.S. Open heritage, Oakmont Country Club was named the second “anchor” course for the U.S. Open in an announcement that includes bringing nine Opens for men and women to Pennsylvania.
Four of them will be at Merion, which was chosen to host the 2030 U.S. Open. That will be the 100year anniversary of Bobby Jones completing the Grand Slam. The final piece of what was called the “impregnable quadrilateral” in 1930 was the U.S. Amateur at Merion.
The USGA announced the future sites during the U.S. Amateur at Oakmont, the course outside Pittsburgh with a reputation as being among the toughest in America. It already has hosted a record nine U.S. Opens, most recently in 2016 when Dustin Johnson won his first major. LAST CHANCE TO MAKE PGA TOUR PLAYOFFS » Rickie Fowler gets a final chance to keep his season going at the Wyndham Championship this week. And he’s not the only big name on the PGA Tour hoping to end up on the right side of golf’s playoff standings.
The top 125 players in the FedEx Cup make the tour’s postseason. That’s why all but one of those ranked between 104th and 151st will tee it up starting Thursday at Sedgefield Country Club.
Major champions Adam Scott (No. 121), Justin Rose (No. 138) and Francesco Molinari (No. 140) are also playing to stay or, like Fowler at No. 130, get into the chase for the FedEx Cup the next few weeks.
NBA
HAMMON HOPES IT BECOMES NORMAL FOR WOMEN TO GET NBAJOBS» Becky Hammon can’t wait for the time when it’s normal for women to interview for head coaching positions in the NBA and their gender isn’t the story.
“It’s huge and important. It’s something that can’t be (checking) the box,” the Spurs assistant told The Associated Press. “You have to hire the best person. Half the world’s population hasn’t been tapped for their mind and ability and skill sets in the sports world. It’s something that needs to change.”
Hammon is entering her eighth season as an assistant and has been interviewed for several head coach openings but hasn’t gotten an offer to be the first woman to lead a NBA team.
Olympics
BELARUS SPRINTER FEELS SAFE, LOOKS TO FUTURE » After all the turmoil of the last week, Krystsina Tsimanouskaya finally feels safe.
The Belarusian Olympic sprinter who found refuge in Poland to avoid punishment at home after criticizing team officials at the Tokyo Games says she now hopes to focus on how to keep up a world-class running career.
Speaking in an interview with The Associated Press at the Olympic Center in Warsaw, the 24-year-old runner said she has already asked Polish officials to help her resume training.
“Life changed in one day, and now we are starting it from scratch in a new country,” she said, speaking with her husband, Arseni Zdanevich, by her side. “We are planning to stay in Poland and continue our careers here.”