MU forfeits men’s basketball wins after review finds NCAA violations

Updated (7:01 p.m.)– Former Missouri men’s basketball coach Frank Haith releases the following statement: “I appreciate the thoroughness of the NCAA during the process. I echo the sentiments of Missouri’s Kim Anderson in expressing disappointment that the actions of a few individuals have put the Tiger basketball program in this situation.”

Updated (5:05 p.m.)– ABC 17 reached out to former Missouri athletic director Mike Alden for comment. Alden told Sports Director Austin Kim he is out of town visiting family.

Below is ABC 17’s original story.

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COLUMBIA, Mo.- The MU athletics department released details of NCAA violations involving the Mizzou men’s basketball team Wednesday afternoon. The violations of NCAA bylaws apparently occurred dating back to 2011.

According to a statement released by the MU athletic department Wednesday, MU hasimposed a one-year postseason ban for the 2015-16 men’s basketball season. That prohibits the team from participating in the 2016 SEC Men’s Basketball Tournament and any other postseason competition sanctioned by the NCAA. The statement said that means the university will not receive any revenues from the 2016 SEC or NCAA men’s basketball tournaments.

It also said the university has vacated all wins from the 2013-14 season as a result of this review.

The University of Missouri has apparently been working with the NCAA for more than a year and a half on the review. It started after the NCAA enforcement staff got information in December of 2013 about potential violations involving a men’s basketball student-athlete. The MU athletic department said the NCAA gave MU a verbal notice of inquiry in April of 2014.

There are four levels of violations in the NCAA enforcement process, ranging from Level I and Level II, considered major infractions, to Level III and Level IV, which are secondary in nature.

The MU athletics department said both the university and the NCAA agree the evidence shows violations occurred on levels I, II and III.

The news release said a Level I violation occurred when an MU Athletics donorprovided impermissible benefits to three men’s basketball student-athletes and one prospective men’s basketball student-athlete from 2013-2014.

The impermissible benefits included compensating student-athletes for work-not-performed at a business through a summer internship program. Through the internship program, the donor also provided other impermissible inducements and extra benefits including housing, cash in the amount of $520, local transportation, iPads, meals and arranged for the use of a local gym for the student-athletes, all in violation of NCAA bylaws.

The news release said a Level II violation occurred when a second donor was discovered to have provided impermissible benefits to 11 student-athletes and three members of one student-athlete’s family from 2011-2014.

Those benefits apparently included providing student-athletes with a “friends & family” reduced rate at a hotel as well as meals and a ride on a recreational boat. The news releases said a Missouri men’s basketball student-manager also provided transportation for multiple student-athletes to the hotel from the Missouri campus, all in violation of NCAA bylaws.

The MU athletics department said another Level II violation occurred whenthe University of Missouri did not fully vet the summer internship employment opportunity and follow-up to request documentation at the conclusion of the 2013 and 2014 internships with the providing donor. The news release said the institution was cited with a failure to adequately monitor the internship program.

The MU athletic department said a Level III violation occurred when aformer associate head men’s basketball coach assisted in the relocation of a prospective student-athlete by providing the phone number of the prospect’s mother to a donor to arrange for rental housing. The family paid a market rate for the rental. However, the actions of the former associate head coach are in violation of NCAA bylaws.

The news release said another Level III violation occurred because a donorhad multiple impermissible recruiting contacts with a prospective student-athlete and paid for a meal for a non-scholastic coach, in violation of NCAA bylaws.

The MU Athletic Department said the university took action to hold student-athletes, staff and donors who were involved accountableas soon as the NCAA violations were substantiated.

Among those actions were the post-season ban for the 2015-16 and the forfeiting of winnings from the 2013-14 season. You can read the full list of actions MU has taken here.

The MU athletics department said the violations originated under the tenure of the previous men’s basketball staff and there is no evidence that any current staff members were aware of the violations.

It said, “Though self-imposing a postseason ban for this season is difficult for our student-athletes, our coaches and our loyal supporters, it is an appropriate measure in holding the institution accountable and is consistent with the NCAA penalty structure for these levels of violations.”

The news release saidthe university cannot provide additional details at this time regarding the violations or the sanctions because the NCAA enforcement process is ongoing.