Foul! Indiana Coach Accused of Violations
NCAA lists five major recruiting violations against Sampson, Indiana staff.
Feb 13, 2008 — -- BLOOMINGTON, Ind. -- Indiana basketball coach Kelvin Sampson and his staff violated telephone recruiting restrictions imposed because of his previous violations at Oklahoma, then lied about it to the school and NCAA investigators, according to an NCAA report released Wednesday.
The NCAA listed five major violations against Sampson, saying he gave "false or misleading information" to investigators.
Sampson "failed to deport himself ... with the generally recognized high standard of honesty" and "failed to promote an atmosphere for compliance within the men's basketball program," according to the report.
Athletic director Rick Greenspan promised the university would cooperate with all NCAA requests.
"We are extremely disappointed in these new allegations regarding coach Sampson," Greenspan said in a statement. "To say the least, we view these allegations with grave concern."
Major violations of NCAA rules can carry punishments including postseason ineligibility. Indiana already had self-reported violations under Sampson in October, but the new discovery could put the Hoosiers' season, and Sampson's career, under a cloud of uncertainty.
The Hoosiers have had no NCAA major violations since 1960.
Indiana (20-3, No. 12 ESPN/USA Today, No. 13 AP) has until May 8 to provide a written response, but the matter could simmer late into the summer. The committee on infractions has a hearing in April, but because of the allotted 90-day window for Indiana to respond, the hearing is not expected to take place until the committee's planned June meeting.
Sampson did not return a message left for him Tuesday by ESPN.com.
A postseason ban for the Hoosiers would come into play only if IU decides to self-impose such a measure. Multiple sources told ESPN.com that a postseason ban would occur only if there were an issue with the eligibility of any current student-athletes. ESPN.com has been told this isn't the case at this point.
At Sampson's introductory news conference at Indiana two years ago, then-president Adam Herbert said, "I am fully convinced that he will elevate the program to what you expect. ... He has made clear our players will do well academically and graduate and that he will comply fully with NCAA regulations."
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