An investigation into the Missouri men’s basketball program by the school and the NCAA found that the program had major rules violations, the school announced on Wednesday.
The violation occurred as far back as 2011 when Frank Haith was the coach of Missouri’s men’s basketball team. Haith wasn’t involved in the violations. Current Missouri coach Kim Anderson and his staff were also not involved. Actions by two donors to Missouri led to the violations. One donor provided impermissible benefits to three players and one recruit in 2013-14. The benefits that were provided “included compensating student-athletes for work-not-performed at a business through a summer internship program.” The donor provided housing, $520 cash, local transportation, iPads, meals, and gym access, according to the Kansas City Star. The second donor proved benefits to 11 players and three members of one player’s family from 2011-2014. Those benefits included reduced hotel rates, meals, and a recreational boat ride. Missouri has permanently disassociated itself from the first donor and banned the second donor from representing the school for two years.
“We have already taken many proactive steps to address concerns, including appropriate self-imposed sanctions,” Missouri athletic director Mack Rhodes said in a release. “We will win at Mizzou and do so with integrity and class. I am satisfied the University fully cooperated with the NCAA and will continue to do so. We must do better and we will. Our working relationship with the current men’s basketball staff is strong and I am confident in their commitment to upholding our standards and values for Mizzou Athletics.”
Missouri imposed sanctions against its men’s basketball team as a result of the violations. The sanctions include a one-year postseason ban, one scholarship loss in 2015-16 and another one no later than the 2017-18 season, paying a $5,000 fine to the NCAA and vacating all 23 wins from the 2013-14 season, according to ESPN. Haith was the coach at Missouri from 2011 to 2014. He was 76-28 in his three seasons at Missouri. Haith is currently the coach at Tulsa.
The NCAA is still investigating the violations and Missouri said that it is working with the NCAA as they do their investigation. Missouri is 8-8 this season.