Michigan State athletic director Mark Hollis has stepped down in the wake of the Larry Nassar sexual abuse scandal.
Hollis has been in the job for 10 years. He announced his retirement on Friday, two days after Michigan State President Lou Anna Simon stepped down amid the outcry over how the school handled allegations against Nassar, a former school employee accused of dozens of molesting girls and young women for years. Nassar also worked for USA Gymnastics, where he abused some of the world’s elite gymnasts, including several Olympians.
Nassar has been sentenced to decades in prison.
Meantime, Michigan State football coach Mark DAntonio and men’s basketball coach Tom Izzo have been linked to the scandal via an explosive ESPN report that says the University engaged in a pattern of “denial, inaction and information suppression of allegations by officials ranging from campus police to the Spartan athletic department.”
The Big Ten released a statement responding to the report, per Adam Rittenberger of ESPN:
“The conference will continue to closely monitor each of the investigations, along with the numerous lawsuits filed against Michigan State University before drawing any conclusions as to whether there is further action required.”
Meantime, one report indicated Izzo could be on the brink of resigning as early as this week, while others indicate that’s “nonsense.”
There are “reports” popping up on these interwebs, I believe from fake or spoof accounts, that Izzo is planning on announcing his own retirement in the coming days. A source close to Izzo says this is “nonsense.”
— Brendan F. Quinn (@BFQuinn) January 26, 2018
Dantonio told reporters Friday night at the Wisconsin-Michigan State basketball game that he has no immediate plans to step down.
Mark Dantonio tells gathered reporters in East Lansing that reports of him stepping down as MSU football coach are false.
— Brendan F. Quinn (@BFQuinn) January 27, 2018
In yet another development, the Los Angeles Clippers placed Travis Walton, an assistant with their G League outfit and a former Michigan State grad assistant under Izzo, on administrative leave. Walton was accused of sexual assault tin 2010.
The Los Angeles Clippers have placed Travis Walton, an assistant coach with team’s G-League affiliate, on administrative leave “pending further investigation.” Walton has emerged as part of the Michigan State basketball probe.
— Adrian Wojnarowski (@wojespn) January 26, 2018
(The AP contributed)
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