Washington University in St. Louis has lifted the suspension of its men’s soccer team after a probe found the squad didn’t break the university’s sexual harassment policy. However, the team remains on probation until it completes university mandated tasks.
The suspension was instituted in December after the women’s soccer team made allegations of “degrading and sexually explicit comments” and “inappropriate behavior” from those on the men’s team.
Those claims led to an internal probe, which found the team was not in violation of the university’s sexual harassment policy and that some of the team members reportedly discouraged the alleged behavior, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch:
An investigation by the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards found that not all the men participated in the activities reported by the women’s team, and that some members actively tried to “discourage this kind of behavior,” according to a university statement.
However, the statement says the Office of Student Conduct and Community Standards found “inappropriate and offensive behavior associated with certain team activities that is in violation of the Student Judicial Code.” The statement didn’t expand on the specific nature of the “team activities.”
The allegations of “degrading and sexually explicit comments” apparently revolved around an online document created by 2015 team members. Student Life, Washington University’s student newspaper, reports Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Lori White said those completing the investigation never got their hands on the alleged document:
During the investigation, the University was unable to retrieve the document mentioned in the complaint, White said. Students described it during interviews conducted during the investigation, but it was never seen by members of the University administration or those conducting the investigation.
While no longer suspended, the men’s soccer team remains on probation “pending completion of mandatory educational training” by all team members this spring, according to a statement from White. The team must also write an apology letter to the women’s soccer team and abstain from activities that were found to be in “violation of the Student Judicial Code.”
White wrote that during a meeting with the men’s team, she “was pleased to hear that they understand the behavior of some members of the team was hurtful to the women’s team and that they accept responsibility.”
She added the women’s soccer team “also raised broader concerns about gender-related issues on our campus” and Washington University is working to address those issues.
Read the Student Life and St. Louis Post-Dispatch articles.
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