Notre Dame has suspended its men’s swimming program for at least a year after an investigation found multiple rules violations, the university announced Thursday.
The investigation, conducted by an outside law firm, found “numerous violations of NCAA rules prohibiting betting on intercollegiate swimming and other athletic competitions despite clear and recurring training provided to all of our student-athletes by our athletic compliance staff on these rules,” according to a statement from athletic director Pete Bevacqua.
Investigators also uncovered a “deeply entrenched team culture that disregards Notre Dame’s standards for student-athletes, including our expectation that they treat each other with dignity and respect,” Bevacqua said.
The swim team’s coaching staff was reportedly unaware of the swimmers’ gambling activities and cooperated fully with the investigation.
“According to the investigation, when staff became aware of certain isolated incidents of unacceptable conduct, they dealt with them seriously and professionally,” the statement read.
Bevacqua said that “a small number of team members … did not participate in this conduct,” suggesting that at least a majority of swimmers participated in the betting scandal.
Sports Illustrated reported that the Fighting Irish swimmers, who finished 10th at the NCAA Championships last year, have “created their own sportsbook” to bet on their competitions.
Swimmers would set their own plus/minus lines for their races, the outlet said, and place bets on the outcome.
SI also reported that some swimmers bet on other sports, including college basketball, although those actions are less punitive under NCAA gambling guidelines.
Last month, Notre Dame swimmer Chris Guiliano won the United States’ first gold medal at the Paris Olympics, winning the 4×100-meter freestyle relay alongside Jack Alexy, Hunter Armstrong and Caeleb Dressel.
Head coach Chris Lindauer was also an assistant coach for the United States during the Paris Games.
