Minnesota Gophers Football Team Announces Boycott Over Suspensions (UPDATE)

After the suspension of 10 team members, the Gophers announced they were boycotting all football activities.

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UPDATED 12/17/16, 10:45 a.m. EST:

After negotiating with the school's administrators, Minnesota Golden Gophers players will end their boycott and play in the team's Holiday Bowl against Washington State on December 27, according to USA TODAY Sports. “As a team, we understand that what has occurred these past few days, and playing football for the University of Minnesota, is larger than just us," the players' statement reads, per the Star Tribune. “We now ask that you, the members of the media, our fans, and the general public hold all of us accountable for ensuring that our teammates are treated fairly, along with any and all victims of sexual assault. We also ask that the public dialogue related to the apparent lack of due process in a university system is openly discussed and evaluated."

See original story below. 

Minnesota's Holiday Bowl-bound Golden Gophers football team may not be headed to the big game after all. On Thursday night, team members said that they were boycotting all football-related activities because of the recent suspensions of some of the team members.

The suspension of ten of the Gophers' players was announced earlier this week. While the cause was not made public, the father of one of the suspended players, Ray Buford, told the Twin Cities Pioneer Press that they were tied to an early September incident of alleged sexual assault. Four Gophers players—Buford, KiAnte Hardin, Dior Johnson, and Tamarion Johnson—were named in a police report about the incident, but Hennepin County ended up not pressing charges.

Ray Buford Sr. told the Pioneer Press that the suspensions happened because of a separate investigation into the incident by the university's Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action (EOAA). Buford Sr. also said that "some" of the ten players were up for expulsion.

Minnesota president Eric Kaler and athletic director Mark Coyle issued a statement about the suspensions: 

"We understand that a lot of confusion and frustration exists as a result of this week's suspension of 10 Gopher Football players from all team activities. The reality is that not everyone can have all of the facts, and unfortunately the University cannot share more information due to federal laws regarding student privacy. We fully support our Gopher football players and all of our student-athletes. Situations like this are always difficult and the decision was made in consultation with and has the full support of President Eric Kaler. The decision was based on facts and is reflective of the University's values."

In response to the suspensions, the football team announced on Thursday night that they would be ceasing all team action. A statement was read by wide receiver Drew Wolitarsky. "The boycott will remain effective until due process is followed and suspensions for all 10 players involved are lifted," he said. "We are concerned that our brothers have been named publicly with reckless disregard in violation of their constitutional rights. We are now compelled to speak for our team and take back our program."

Afterwards, Wolitarsky told reporters that "We got no answers to our questions about why these kids are suspended, when they were just found not guilty by the law."

The Holiday Bowl responded to news of the boycott with a short statement by the Bowl's Executive Director Mark Neville. "We are continuing to prepare for the National Funding Holiday Bowl on December 27, however, we are aware of the situation at the University of Minnesota and are monitoring it closely," he said.

 

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