The Office of Judicial Affairs has completed its investigation into allegations of misconduct and inappropriate behavior by the men’s soccer team, with an official resolution likely coming before the end of the month. In the meantime, men’s soccer is currently reinstated from their indefinite suspension.
The investigation looked into allegations from the women’s soccer team about an online document created by members of the 2015 team that included “degrading and sexually explicit comments” about the members of the women’s team, as well as “other inappropriate behavior that perpetuates a culture of disrespect toward women,” according to a statement released by Washington University on Dec. 16.
The investigation was conducted and completed over winter break, and University administration have moved into a resolution phase, in which either team can appeal the findings before an official judicial ruling is handed down. As of print, neither team has done so, according to Vice Chancellor for Public Affairs Jill Friedman.
The University has declined to comment on any further details of the investigation.
“The interim suspension has been lifted, but that does not mean that the situation is resolved,” Friedman said.
If any further penalty is deemed appropriate by the University, it will come after the appeals deadline has passed.
No outside party—like the NCAA or the Office for Civil Rights and Title IX—have been involved in the investigation.
The University administration was initially made aware of the situation by interim Athletic Director Justin Carroll and through a letter sent by the women’s soccer team on the evening of Dec. 14, according to Vice Chancellor for Students Lori White. The University published its initial statement announcing the investigation and the immediate interim suspension of the men’s soccer team two days later.
According to White, this is the first time the University has initiated this kind of investigation into the behavior of a team.
These allegations come following similar incidents involving sports teams at other universities around the country, like recently at Harvard University, where the end of the men’s soccer team’s season was canceled due to inappropriate behavior towards the women’s team.
Student Life contacted many members of both the men’s and women’s soccer teams but all have either declined to comment or have not responded to requests for comment as of press time.
