Notre Dame Suspends Swimming Program After ‘Corrosive Culture’ and Gambling Ring Come to Light
The University of Notre Dame has announced the suspension of its men’s swimming program for a minimum of one academic year due to a gambling scandal. An external review commissioned by the university revealed troubling behaviors within the team, including a culture that undermined the university’s standards for respect among student-athletes. The investigation found multiple violations of NCAA rules concerning gambling on intercollegiate events. As a result, the university emphasized the need to establish a culture of dignity and respect, leading to the decision to fully suspend the program. The coaching staff was reportedly unaware of the extent of the gambling activities, which had been effectively hidden by team members. It was also noted that the men’s swimming team had engaged in creating their own betting lines on swimming performances, involving a significant number of returning swimmers. Notre Dame aims to reinforce its commitment to promoting conduct aligned with its values through this suspension.
Due to a gambling scandal, the University of Notre Dame has suspended its men’s swimming program for at least one year.
According to a statement from University of Notre Dame Vice President James E. Rohr and Director of Athletics Pete Bevacqua posted on the college website, the college hired the law firm of Ropes & Gray LLP earlier this year after getting a whiff of trouble.
“The external review confirmed and expanded on our initial concerns about a deeply embedded team culture dismissive of Notre Dame’s standards for student-athletes, including our expectation that they treat one another with dignity and respect,” the statement said.
“This independent, external review also documented numerous violations of NCAA rules prohibiting gambling on intercollegiate swimming and other athletic competitions,” the statement said.
“These findings are contrary to the University’s values,” the statement said.
“In order to ensure that this behavior ends and to rebuild a culture of dignity, respect, and exemplary conduct, we have decided to suspend the men’s swimming program for at least one academic year,” the statement said.
The statement said that “the overwhelming cultural dynamic on the team necessitates a full suspension.”
The statement said the coaching staff “was not aware of gambling or the scope and extent of other troubling behaviors because team members effectively concealed such behaviors from the coaches and staff through concerted efforts.”
The statement noted that staff members who had a hint of what was taking place instigated the process that led to the review.
The statement said that Notre Dame is serious about its “obligation to foster a community of student-athletes who not only compete and perform at the highest level academically and athletically, but whose conduct reflects the University’s values.”
“We hope this decision sends a clear and unequivocal message reaffirming that commitment and expectation,” the statement said.
According to Sports Illustrated, which cited sources it did not name, the men’s swimming team “effectively created its own sports book for the purpose of wagering on their swimming performances.”
“’Over/under’ lines were established for a swimmer’s times in certain races, with wagers being placed on the outcomes,” the report said.
The report said that most returning swimmers participated in the betting ring.
Sports Illustrated said that the cultural issues referred to did not include physical abuse.
However, Sports Illustrated writer Pat Forde posted on X that the program had “other ‘corrosive culture’ issues.”
The NCAA bans athletes from betting, although it has multiple levels of punishments depending upon the size of the bets and whether an athlete bet on his or her team and sport.
According to SwimSwam, Notre Dame’s swimming and diving programs finished 10th at the 2024 NCAA Championships, which the swimming news outlet said was “their best combined finish at NCAAs in school history.”
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