Over a year after the release of Sports Illustrated‘s “The Dirty Game” cover story, Oklahoma State’s brass finally had its day in “court.”
The Tulsa World reported that “university President Burns Hargis and additional Oklahoma State officials were in Indianapolis for a Thursday meeting with the NCAA Committee on Infractions.”
The story originally accused Oklahoma State’s football program of payments to players, improper benefits from boosters, no-show work programs, etc. Y’know, just run-of-the-mill major violations at every level of the program.
As soon as the exposé was released, sources began to poke holes in the story. The esteemed news outlet was even sued by one of Oklahoma State’s boosters who named in the piece.
The NCAA already stated that the allegations were “fundamentally unfounded.” The governing body and Oklahoma State even released a joint statement in October discussing the claims.
“...[a]fter a thorough review by the NCAA Enforcement Staff and an outside consultant hired by Oklahoma State University, allegations of misconduct in the Oklahoma State football program as reported by the media in September 2013 were fundamentally unfounded.”
While the NCAA felt at the time that the majority of the claims lacked substantial credibility, it still continued to investigate the school over three possible Level II violations, according to the Tulsa World‘s Bill Haisten. Those violations involved flawed drug-testing, Orange Pride (student hostess) oversight and a failure to monitor the program.
Those violations aren’t nearly as serious as the original claims, but there is still a possibility that Oklahoma State could lose scholarships over the infractions that were found by the NCAA.
Oklahoma released a statement after the meeting that said, “The university appreciated the opportunity to present its position to the committee and expects a ruling in the near future.”
