Syracuse University has placed associate head basketball coach Bernie Fine on administrative leave in light of child molestation charges that first appeared in a story on ESPN.com.
“In light of the new allegations and the Syracuse City Police investigation, this evening Chancellor Cantor asked Director of Athletics Dr. Daryl Gross, to place Associate Head Coach Bernie Fine on administrative leave,” read a statement from the school.
According to ESPN.com, Syracuse police are investigating allegations that Fine molested two team ball boys beginning in the late 1970s and continuing until the 1990s.
Bobby Davis, now 39, told ESPN’s Mark Schwarz that Fine molested him for more than a dozen years “hundreds of times” beginning in the mid-1980s.
Davis’ stepbrother, Mike Lang, now 45, was also a Syracuse ball boy for several years. He told Schwarz that Fine began molesting him in fifth or sixth grade.
Police told ESPN they are in the early stages of the investigation. No charges have been filed.
Syracuse coach Jim Boeheim issued the following statement:
“This matter was fully investigated by the University in 2005 and it was determined that the allegations were unfounded. I have known Bernie Fine for more than 40 years. I have never seen or witnessed anything to suggest that he would been involved in any of the activities alleged. Had I seen or suspected anything, I would have taken action. Bernie has my full support.”
roundball / November 18, 2011
Syracuse and Jim Boeheim have run what appears to have been an exceptional program for many years. However, I am concerned when Coach is quoted in your article as stating that a serious criminal allegation was fully investigated by the university in 2005, instead of the matter being investigated by an outside police agency. Penn State has shown that a university is capable of covering up alleged criminal behavior. I am afraid we have only seen the first few dominoes fall in the national college sports scene.
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