| | Associated Press
The text of statements by Indiana University president Myles
Brand and trustee Frederick Eichhorn Jr. during the news
conference Sunday in Indianapolis to announce the firing of basketball
coach Bob Knight:
|  | | Indiana University president Myles Brand said firing Bob Knight was the most difficult decision he has made in his educational career. |
BRAND -- Thank you all for coming today. We have completed an
investigation into the recent allegations involving Indiana
University basketball coach Bob Knight. I'd like to report on the
findings of that investigation and other events involving Coach
Knight.
On May 15 of this year, I announced to you findings of a
seven-week investigation into three allegations raised by a former
student-athlete. At that time we made clear what is acceptable
behavior for Coach Knight. For that reason, on May 15, we announced
that Coach Knight was being given a series of sanctions and one
last chance under the zero-tolerance policy.
Let me remind you how we defined the sanctions and how we
defined the zero-tolerance policy. And I quote:
"As a result of that review which found a pattern of
inappropriate behavior, the sanctions for Coach Knight are a
three-game suspension during the regular 2000-01 season and a
$30,000 fine, which will be withheld from his salary.
"Two. Any verifiable, inappropriate, physical contact
discovered in the future with players, members of the university
community or others in connection with his employment at IU will be
cause for immediate termination.
"Three. Public presentation and other occasions during which
Coach Knight is a representative of Indiana University will be
conducted with the appropriate decorum and civility. Included upon
these occasions are interactions with the news media. Failure to do
so will be cause for further sanction up to and including
termination from the position of basketball coach.
"Four. A task force will be established and develop policies
for appropriate behavior for all coaches, athletic department
employees, and student athletes and for sanctions for not following
these policies. The task force will make its recommendations on
these policies to the athletics committee, the president, and the
board of trustees."
I believe the media here today have copies of this handout.
In recent days, it has been reported that our zero-tolerance
guidelines are unclear or ill-formed. Nothing could be further from
the truth. As I just reiterated, we specified exactly what
zero-tolerance is at the May 15 press conference. Those are the
guidelines which Coach Knight has been required to abide by for
these last four months.
The Code of Athletic Conduct Commission is developing a code of
conduct for all student-athletes, coaches and administrators on all
of our campuses.
This commission will report its finding to a university board of
trustees this Friday at its regularly scheduled meeting. But do not
confuse the two, since May 15 our zero-tolerance guidelines have
been in effect. And they are what I just quoted to you.
Unfortunately, there have been many instances in the last 17
weeks in which Coach Knight has behaved and acted in a way that is
both defiant and hostile. These actions illustrate the very
troubling pattern of inappropriate behavior that make clear that
Coach Knight has no desire, contrary to what he personally promised
me, to live within the zero-tolerance guidelines we set out on May
15.
We have given Indiana University basketball coach Bob Knight one
last chance. And he's failed to take full advantage of that
opportunity.
Let me give you some examples of Coach Knight's behavior in the
last 17 weeks that is uncivil, defiant and unacceptable.
There was a continued unwillingness by Coach Knight to work
within the normal chain of command in the IU's athletic department.
I personally asked Coach Knight, on May 13, to resume the normal
chain of command with athletics director Clarence Doninger. He has
adamantly refused to do that. This violates the letter and spirit
of the guidelines set down on May 15.
There have been several attempts to embarrass Indiana
University. In private and in public, Coach Knight has made angry
and inflammatory remarks about university officials and the board
of trustees. This violates the letter and spirit of the guidelines
set out on May 15.
There have been several instances in which Coach Knight has
shown disrespect for our university alumni. Specifically, the Coach
has informed the university that he now refuses to participate in
previously scheduled varsity club events in Indianapolis,
Bloomington, and Chicago.
While the Coach has informed the university that he will attend
four public events as required in his contract, he has refused to
attend the most popular, widely attended events of our alumni that
our alumni anticipate each year. This violates the letter and the
spirit of the guidelines set down on May 15.
There has been an instance in the recent past in which Coach
Knight verbally abused a high-ranking female university official in
the presence of other persons. This angry outburst in his office
was completely unnecessary and inappropriate. This violates, again,
the letter and the spirit of the guidelines set down on May 15.
There has been a lack of cooperation in fulfilling the sanctions
handed down on May 15. It is important to note that the coach has
agreed to fulfill these obligations but has forced the university
to go through a protracted, unpleasant and completely unnecessary
process to reach that end. This again violates the letter and
spirit of the guidelines set down on May 15.
There has been one other instant of gross insubordination. I had
a telephone conversation with Coach Knight at 10:30 p.m. Friday to
discuss the allegations raised in the current situation. At the
conclusion of the conversation, Coach Knight informed me he was
leaving Saturday morning to go on a fishing trip in Canada.
Due to the seriousness of the investigation, I requested more
than once that he postpone his trip and stay in Bloomington. He
adamantly refused. This violates the letter and the spirit of the
guidelines set down on May 15.
And most recently we have a well-publicized incident in which
Coach Knight had a confrontation with a 19-year-old IU student in
front of Assembly Hall. The IU police are investigating this matter
and have completed their preliminary findings. They have talked
with seven people and have two more persons with whom to talk. But
we believe they have settled the factual aspects of the case.
The Coach reached out and initiated physical contact with the
student on his arm, and the two had, according to varied accounts,
an uncomfortable exchange. It is not in dispute that the coach
reached out and grabbed the young man's arm in an unwelcome
fashion. The severity of the act is in dispute, however.
But the bottom line is that an angry confrontation with a
student explicitly violates the spirit and the letter of the
guidelines set out May 15.
It's important to note that in the incident involving the IU
student, he unfortunately became an unwilling part of a very public
story. While the stepfather of the young man has aggressively
sought media coverage of the event -- and that is unfortunate -- we
are committed to assure that every IU student has the right to
safe, productive and enlightening educational experience at Indiana
University.
This young man is no exception. And I hope that we all respect
his privacy and understand that this young man has been caught up
in events well beyond his own responsibility.
I have been briefed continuously by the IU police on this matter
since Friday. I have also consulted informally, on a regular basis
throughout the weekend with our trustees.
No vote of our trustees has been taken, but a large majority
share my view on our response to this pattern of unacceptable
behavior. They have also conferred with the men's basketball
players, the IU Athletics Committee through their chairman, key
faculty leaders, and, of course, our trustee president, John Walda,
who is traveling abroad and cannot be with us today but expresses
full support for this action.
No one incident of the ones I have named may singly rise to the
level for the removal of Coach Knight. But this persistent and
troubling pattern of behavior has lead me to only one conclusion.
In an early morning telephone conversation with Coach Knight
today, I gave him the option of resigning as head basketball coach.
He declined. And I notified him that he was being removed as
basketball coach effectively immediately.
This is an option the university can exercise under paragraph 9
of Coach Knight's contract, and I believe that was handed out to
you as well. It specifies, and I quote, 'If the university at any
time desires, coach shall cease to serves as head basketball coach,
when so advised in writing.' A certified letter will be sent to him
tomorrow.
In exercising this option, the university is obligated to
continue to pay Coach Knight his salary through the end of his
contract which expires June 30, 2002. Coach Knight is therefore
entitled to approximately two years' salary, and of course the
university will abide by all terms of the contract.
Let me add some personal thoughts now: I've been in higher
education for over 30 years. I've been the president of two major
universities and an administrator or faculty member at several
others. Unquestionably, this is the most difficult decision I've
ever had to make.
Bob Knight is a legendary coach at a school with a legendary
basketball reputation. He's been a national coaching example, not
only in wins and losses, and Big Ten and national championships,
but also fielding teams for three decades that comprise
outstanding, fine young men.
His program has been devoid of major NCAA violations, and his
graduation rates are among the highest in the country. These young
men who have had the honor to play under Coach Knight are
representative of the best of IU. This includes of course the
outstanding team we have now.
I met with these young men yesterday, and I pledge to them, and
renew that pledge to give my unwavering support to our basketball
program.
But that aside, my decision which came after consultation and
deep thought is in the best long run interest of Indiana
University. I've asked Vice President Terry Claypacs, athletic
director Clarence Doninger, to lead the effort to find and interim
coach for this season. That search begins now. At an appropriate
time, a committee will be formed within Indiana University to find
a permanent coach.
Thank you.
EICHHORN -- Thank you. A large majority of the Board of the Trustees fully
supports this decision. We regret that the coach's actions have
resulted in this conclusion. But this is the best answer for the
university at this time.
I have great respect for what Coach Knight has accomplished, but
his attitude toward his peers and other university officials is
intolerable.
Indiana University is much more than its basketball program. And
it is the overall interest of the university that motivates this
conclusion.
It is time to move forward with the essential business of the
university.
Thank you.
| |
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AUDIO/VIDEO
 Indiana University officials excuse Bob Knight of his coaching duties.
RealVideo: 28.8
Athletics director Clarence Doninger talks about the future of Indiana basketball with ESPN's Ed Werder.
RealVideo: 28.8
Mark Shaw, the stepfather of Indiana University student Kent Harvey speaks with the ESPNews crew.
RealVideo: 28.8
ESPN's Dick Vitale looks at where Indiana and Bob Knight go from here.
RealVideo: 28.8
 Myles Brand gives examples of Bob Knight's transgressions.
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RealAudio: 14.4 | 28.8 | 56.6
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