Georgia athletic officials pushed back at published reports that state the UGA Athletic Association tolerates sexual misconduct amongst members of the football team.
During a briefing with select reporters, Georgia athletic director Josh Brooks, head football coach Kirby Smart, senior deputy of athletics Darrice Griffin, and equal opportunity office/Title IX coordinator Qiana Wilson spoke for almost an hour, going into detail about numerous incidents over the past month, defending procedures, and current UGAA policies while also addressing recent critical coverage of the program by the Atlanta Constitution.
“Unfortunately, recent inaccurate and misleading reporting requires us to come before you and set the record straight. In recent months, when asked about the issue of speeding, we have never acknowledged that it’s not a problem, and we continue to address it,” Brooks said. “However, the suggestion that the University or the athletic department turns a blind eye to domestic abuse and sexual abuse by ignoring reports and turning a blind eye to bad behavior is absolutely wrong. It crossed a serious line, and we will not stand for this conjecture.”
Three of the incidents cited by the AJC—the 2018 suspension of Tray Bishop for felony eavesdropping/surveillance, the 2019 arrest of wide receiver JJ Holloman for assault, and the 2022 arrest of linebacker Adam Anderson for alleged rape—were mentioned prominently.
In each instance, the players were suspended immediately after Smart learned of the charges involved. None ever took a snap for the Bulldogs again.
“I can handle a lot of talk, but I cannot and will not tolerate these false accusations that this football program or this university condones sexual misconduct. No tolerance for sexual misconduct or abuse, never have, never will. We have that. We have a protocol in place,” Smart said. “We address allegations swiftly and quickly, and two of the examples cited in recent reports illustrate our suspension policy: they never played another game for Georgia. How is that to be contorted as supportive of bad behavior?”
Brooks agreed.
“The three prominent examples used are misleading and irresponsible. These reports cite examples that are called the most egregious and significant, yet each one is grossly mischaracterized,” he said. “The reporting also conveniently minimizes the actions we have done in direct response to address these matters. Of the three most significant examples cited by this reporter that claim we rally around players accused of violence against women, none of these players ever took a single snap after being charged with a crime.”
UGASports broke the news of a letter from the UGA Athletic Constitution to the AJC demanding a retraction. You can read a copy of the letter here.
“We take these allegations extremely seriously. Me, personally, I take them extremely seriously. WE DO NOT TOLERATE sexual misconduct in our organization. I’m the football coach, and I’m responsible for this program, and that starts with me. I see this as a topic through the lenses of I have a wife, and I have a daughter,” Smart said. “I just want to be clear this is so far beyond that. We don’t tolerate that in any way, shape, or form. We’ve got expectations and values for the players in this organization. I might not always like the news that gets reported, but I know it needs to be shared, and it needs to be shared accurately. All I ask is to avoid twisting the facts and sensationalizing serious issues. It’s never OK. Work to get the facts correct and accurate.”
During the briefing, Griffin explained the process and protocol for what happens when a UGA student-athlete is accused of wrongdoing.
“We are all required under Title IX and the law to promptly report any allegations of sexual misconduct, discrimination, and/or harassment to the appropriate authorities,” she said. “Our standard and expectations in athletics are that we over-report. Athletics does not administer either policy, therefore we must give the information to the appropriate authorities, where they are reviewed and their analysis. Athletics employees may not investigate on their own.”
Griffin said responses to accusations have always been swift. Punishments, she added, have been decisive.
“We have taken swift and decisive action regarding team participation, just based on reports. With known reports, I have notified Coach Smart of the need for all parties involved for an individual to not represent us in competition and/or to modify their access to team activities until we have additional information regarding the legal process and the campus review,” she said. “I cannot think of an instance where we have not been completely aligned on the need to take quick and appropriate action.”
Griffin also responded to the notion that the athletic association needs to be more transparent regarding punishments given to student-athletes.
“For those who may be thinking why we don’t announce the specifics of individual disciplinary responses, students, both complainants and respondents, have privacy interest,” Griffin said. “What we are at liberty to say is our disciplinary measures may include but are not limited to dismissal from the team, suspension from competition, reduction of athletic achievement awards, reduction of athletics aid, cancellation of athletics aid, and/or mandatory educational resources and counseling interventions.”
The session with selected reporters did not center just on sexual misconduct. Smart addressed the ongoing issues with speeding and reckless driving, an issue he agrees continues to be a problem.
It’s been a difficult off-season for the Bulldogs, starting back in January when offensive lineman Devin Willock and Chandler LeCroy were killed in a tragic automobile accident.
But instead of serving as a deterrent, other incidents occurred.
Since the deaths of Willock and LeCroy, UGASports has reported on what could be described as numerous traffic-related arrests, including those of former defensive lineman Jalen Carter, De’Nylon Morrissette, and Marcus Rosemy-Jacksaint, while freshmen linebacker Samuel M’Pemba was cited for excessive speed in Oconee County.
“I don’t know if we can eradicate speeding,” Smart said. “But I’m damn sure going to try.”
More coming.
