The Michigan Wolverines are currently in the midst of an NCAA investigation into allegations of illegal sign-stealing. And as Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti considers potential punishment for the program before the NCAA completes its investigation, Michigan president Santa Ono has a pretty clear response.
In a letter sent to Big Ten commissioner Tony Petitti obtained by The Wolverine of On3, Michigan president Santa Ono had a pretty clear message: “Due process matters.”
“We are fully cooperating with the NCAA in its investigation, as it seeks to separate the facts from irresponsible speculation seen in much of the public and social media discourse,” Ono wrote in an e-mail.
“It’s precisely at these times — when all key facts are not known but others are all too comfortable offering strongly held opinion — that it is essential for everyone to ensure that investigations are conducted fairly and that conclusions are based on what actually happened. The reputation and livelihoods of coaches, students, and programs cannot be sacrificed in a rush to judgment, no matter how many and how loudly people protest otherwise. Due process matters.”
As outlined by the Big Ten’s sportsmanship policy, Petitti and the Big Ten have the power to potentially levy punishment against the Wolverines before the NCAA concludes its own investigation. We’ll have to see whether or not the Big Ten decides to do that.
[On3]
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