Jan. 27, 2000
WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind....Following the NCAA's announcement today (January 26, 2000) that the Division I Infractions Appeals Committee has modified one penalty and upheld others involving the Boilermaker men's basketball program, Purdue officials had these statements:
Dr. Steven C. Beering, President - "I am convinced that all aspects of this process were handled appropriately by our staff and by legal counsel, and I have complete confidence in the leadership and integrity of both Morgan Burke and Coach Gene Keady.
"Although we are not completely satisfied with the results of the appeal, we are gratified that the committee recommended a reduction in the university's financial penalty, which we considered to be the most serious sanction. The effect will be to decrease the financial impact from approximately $900,000 to about $80,000.
"We have cooperated completely with the NCAA throughout this process and we are resolved to continue to do so in the future. With the completion of this inquiry, I am eager for all our programs to move forward."
Morgan Burke, Director of Intercollegiate Athletics - "The report of the NCAA's Infraction Appeals Committee concludes a difficult process that began in the Summer of 1996, and I hope we now can put the ordeal behind us.
"Throughout this process, Purdue has worked to identify the truth and to carry out its duty as a responsible NCAA member institution. We have been candid and honest about every piece of information we believed to be true, and we have pointed out those instances in which we could not reach definitive conclusion due to conflicting information. This was done in the face of adversity and prolonged public scrutiny.
"Purdue takes seriously its institutional responsibility to control its athletic programs within the rules, and the NCAA confirmed during these proceedings that we have exercised that control.
"We also believe strongly that we have a duty to our employees to presume their innocence absent credible, persuasive evidence to the contrary. This entire inquiry has turned on the credibility of diametrically opposed versions of certain events, and Purdue's opinion has been that the standard of proof articulated in the NCAA rules was not met.
"This standard requires that the information used to support findings be credible, persuasive and of the kind on which reasonably prudent persons rely in the conduct of serious affairs.
"In this case, a person's livelihood was at stake, and the university felt certain findings were either contrary to the evidence or based upon information developed without due process. We also considered the sanctions imposed on the university...in particular the financial penalty...to be excessive. For these reasons, Purdue invoked its right to contest the matter. To do otherwise would have been to abandon the presumption of innocence, which we believe we owe to our employees. The matter has now reached its final adjudication and Purdue accepts the outcome."
Gene Keady, Head Coach, Men's Basketball -- "Fortunately nothing in this finding will reflect on any of our current or future players, and their opportunities to play in the NCAA tournament and on television will not be affected. The biggest disappointment about the outcome is that we are asked to forfeit 24 games because of the participation of a former player who had minimal impact on our success in those games.
"My job is to coach basketball and to play by the rules. I have always done things that way, and that's what I'll continue to do. I'm grateful that Morgan Burke and our lawyers have done the worrying about this, so that the other coaches and I could stay focused on our jobs. We have done everything possible to keep the NCAA inquiry from becoming a distraction for our team, and I think we have succeeded."
(NOTE: Purdue Athletic Director Morgan Burke will be available to answer questions on the subject mentioned below in his office in the Intercollegiate Athletic Facility either in person or via teleconference at 317-263-8800, access code 4678#...at 2 p.m. Wednesday)