Colorado State Players Refute Allegations of Racial Abuse, Intimidation Against Coach Steve Addazio and Staff

A group of Colorado State football players released a letter Saturday disputing allegations of racial abuse and intimidation against coach Steve Addazio and his staff.

The letter's release comes one day after athletics director Joe Parker announced that all football-related activities would be indefinitely paused as the school launched an expanded investigation into allegations of racism and verbal abuse within the university's athletic program and football program.

“Today we learned of some extremely troubling allegations of racism and verbal abuse from CSU’s athletic administration generally and in the football program specifically," Parker's statement read. "Colorado State University is committed to being an anti-racist university, and we will not tolerate any behavior or climate that goes against that core value. 

"Moreover, CSU Athletics is committed to the health and well-being of student-athletes above all other priorities, and this includes their mental health. We believe it is our responsibility to make sure that all student-athletes feel welcomed and valued as members of an inclusive athletics community.”

The school decided to halt activities after a report surfaced in which a number of CSU football players and athletics department staff have alleged that they've been instructed not to report COVID-19 symptoms, among other measures diminishing health threats, according to Miles Blumhardt of the Fort Collins Coloradoan.

The report also said that coaches threatened to reduce playing time for players if they quarantine and that coaches have adjusted contact tracing reports to keep from disrupting the team's practice schedule.

Several players took to social media on Friday to deny the report.

The Coloradoan said a forthcoming story would involve allegations of "racial insensitivity and emotional and verbal abuse among coaches and athletic administrators."

On Saturday, a group called #CSUunited released its letter and claimed the accusations are false. The letter said the group is led by seniors but has "the support of the entire team."

"To be absolutely clear, we have not experienced any racially insensitive comments to our teammates from the athletic department or coaching staff," the letter said. "This football team has matured and positively developed since Coach Addazio's arrival."

Assistant coach Brian White also tweeted out a statement addressing both the allegations of racism and intimidation around the team's COVID-19 protocols.

"[Addazio] would NEVER compromise the welfare of his players under any circumstances. To even hint that he or the football team he leads is racist is shameful."

However, sources told ESPN that #CSUunited's letter does not have the full support of the team.