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LU admits basketball players suspended

Accused of violating code of conduct, school says players are appealing decision
voyageurs
A week after refusing to comment on the story, Laurentian University has finally acknowledged that five members of its varsity basketball team have been suspended. File photo.

A week after refusing to comment on the story, Laurentian University has finally acknowledged that five members of its varsity basketball team have been suspended.

In a statement released Wednesday, LU acknowledged that “some members of our men’s basketball team have been suspended following an investigation into a violation of the Athlete Code of Conduct.

“The students involved have chosen to avail themselves of a mechanism provided in our Athlete Code of Conduct to have their situation considered by a Committee of Inquiry,” the release said. “Out of respect for this process, and the people involved, the university isn’t able to comment further at this time.”

When contacted last week by Sudbury.com, the university's communications department said it could not “confirm or deny” the story or the suspension, citing privacy rules.

But on Tuesday, The Lambda, the university newspaper ran a story that confirmed the basketball players had been suspended after an alleged hazing incident.

Specifics have not yet been made public,  but allegations of the incident stem from a rookie night ceremony held Sept. 24. The newspaper story apparently prompted LU to acknowledge something had taken place.

According to Lambda, veteran players Joe Sykes, Anthony Iacoe, Theo Thomas, JD West, and David Aromolaran have all been suspended, and at least three of them were expected to be starters for the Voyageurs this season.

Laurentian's Student-Athlete Code of Conduct states that, "Laurentian University has a zero tolerance policy on hazing , and the consequences can be severe."

Lambda has confirmed that it was the school's Athletic Director Peter Hellstrom who issued the suspension.


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