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Duke AD says Coach K followed protocol in Rasheed Sulaimon allegations

By Cameron La Fontaine

Feb 4, 2015; Durham, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Mike Krzyzewski makes remarks during a ceremony honoring him for his 1000th career victory after their game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Dolejs-USA TODAY Sports
Feb 4, 2015; Durham, NC, USA; Duke Blue Devils head coach Mike Krzyzewski makes remarks during a ceremony honoring him for his 1000th career victory after their game against the Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets at Cameron Indoor Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark Dolejs-USA TODAY Sports /
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Duke athletic director Kevin White backed head coach Mike Krzyzewski saying he followed protocol in regards to Rasheed Sulaimon allegations. 

The Duke Chronicle Monday reported that former Duke basketball player Rasheed Sulaimon was tied to two sexual assault allegations in the 2013-2014 academic year, and head coach Mike Kryzewski was aware of them as early as March 2014. Sulaimon was dismissed from the team in January, the first player dismissed from Duke basketball during Coach K’s 35 years as head coach.

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Duke athletic director Kevin White released a statement on Tuesday after the report by The Duke Chronicle saying that Coach K had followed protocol following his knowledge of the allegations against Sulaimon.

According to Sports Illustrated, Coach K refused to comment on the allegations several times on an ACC conference call Monday.

At a student retreat called Common Ground in October 2013, one woman said that Rasheed Sulaimon sexually assaulted her but did not file a report with the Duke Office of Student Conduct because she feared Duke basketball fan retaliation. At Common Ground’s February 2014 retreat, another female student said during that Suliamon sexually assaulted her but also didn’t file a report for the same reasons.

Despite no formal report being filed, Duke will still follow up on these allegations because Title IX requires it.

Here’s Kevin White’s statement from courtesy of Sporting News:

"“Any allegation of student misconduct that is brought to the attention of our staff and coaches is immediately referred to the Office of Student Conduct in Student Affairs, which has responsibility for upholding the Duke code of conduct. The athletics department does not investigate or adjudicate matters of student conduct, and cooperates completely in the process,” White said.“These investigations are conducted thoroughly, in a timely manner, and with great care to respect the privacy and confidentiality of all students involved. Those procedures have been, and continue to be, followed by Coach Mike Krzyzewski and all members of the men’s basketball program. Coach Krzyzewski and his staff understand and have fulfilled their responsibilities to the university, its students and the community.”"

We’ll see what more comes out of this investigation based on the report that Krzyewski and his staff knew about these allegations a year ago.

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