We now know why Ohio College fired Bobcats coach Brian Smith after the varsity newspaper reported that officers decided that he was having an inappropriate relationship with a scholar and abusing alcohol.
Smith, who had already been suspended for 2 weeks, was fired on Wednesday after the varsity concluded its investigation into his conduct. Nonetheless, upon his launch, neither college officers nor the coach and his representatives disclosed what led the varsity to make its resolution.
Officers mentioned solely that Smith had engaged in conduct that violated his employment settlement and mirrored unfavorably upon the college.
Now, the scholar newspaper, The Put up, is saying that Smith engaged in “extramarital affairs.”
“The discover alleges Smith engaged in extramarital affairs, together with one with an undergraduate scholar, and took part in alcohol-related conduct that violated college coverage and impaired his potential to carry out as head coach. The letter additionally states Smith had beforehand been reprimanded for alcohol use in his workplace,” the paper reported on Thursday.
The paper added that, “The college additionally alleged Smith had a relationship partially on the Ohio College Inn, the place he was more likely to be seen by members of the college neighborhood. OU mentioned that the conduct mirrored unfavorably on the college and its athletics program.”
Smith has denied all allegations, and his legal professional has vowed to battle the firing with all of the authorized instruments at his disposal.
“We vigorously dispute Ohio College’s grounds for the termination for explanation for Coach Brian Smith,” mentioned legal professional Rex Elliott. “He’s shocked and dismayed by this flip of occasions, and we plan to battle this wrongful termination to guard his good identify,” ESPN reported.
“Coach Smith is an moral man who has completed an exemplary job for the College. He desires nothing however the perfect for the gamers, coaches, and all the Bobcat neighborhood,” the legal professional mentioned.
Nonetheless, the legal professional additionally claims that the sexual relationship with an undergrad was “consensual,” and that he ended the connection as soon as he discovered she was a scholar at Ohio. He additionally insists that the varsity has no coverage in opposition to staffers relationship college students.
Elliot additional denies that alcohol ever impaired Smith’s efficiency at his job and mentioned he was by no means drunk at work.
Smith turned head coach final yr after former Ohio coach Tim Albin left for Charlotte. Throughout his tenure, he went 9-4 over components of two seasons with the Bobcats.
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