Duke's Coach K refuses comment on Sulaimon sexual assault allegations
Duke coach Mike Krzyzewski declined to comment on Monday regarding allegations surrounding the January dismissal of guard Rasheed Sulaimon from the team.
A report from The Duke Chronicle published on Monday said Sulaimon was tied to two sexual assaults during the 2013-2014 school year. The Chronicle also reported that members of the athletic department, including Krzyzewski, were aware of the allegations "as early as March 2014."
Krzyzewski refused to comment on the report and its allegations multiple times during an ACC conference call on Monday.
"Yeah, I don't have any comment about that," he said in one instance. "Thanks for asking, though."
Krzyzewski said at the time of the dismissal that Sulaimon was released because he "repeatedly struggled to meet the necessary obligations" of the program. But Sulaimon was accused of two separate sexual assaults during the previous academic year, according toThe Chronicle.
Sulaimon's two female accusers did not file charges or submit a complaint to Duke's Office of Student Conduct, but they spoke publicly of the allegations at a student retreat called Common Ground, according to The Chronicle report. At Common Ground's October 2013 retreat, the first alleged victim reportedly said that Sulaimon had sexually assaulted her. A second woman alleged during Common Ground in February 2014 that she had been sexually assaulted by Sulaimon.
In March 2014, a team psychologist became aware of the allegations, according to the report. Krzyzewski and multiple assistant coaches also allegedly were informed later that month, followed by several high-ranking officials in the athletic department.
The alleged victims chose not to file charges or come forward to the Office of Student Conduct because they were afraid of backlash from Duke basketball fans. However, the university is still bound by Title IX to examine indications of sexual assault, despite the fact that no formal complaint was filed.
Sulaimon, who The Chronicle reports is still a student at the university, was dismissed from the basketball program on Jan. 29. He became the first player to be dismissed during Krzyzewski's 35-year tenure as Blue Devils coach.