University suspends swimming and diving program due to hazing

ByMeredith Deliso ABCNews logo
Thursday, September 21, 2023

Boston College has indefinitely suspended its men's and women's swimming and diving programs over what it said was hazing, the university announced Wednesday.



The suspension comes after university administrators "determined that hazing had occurred within the program," the Boston College athletics department said in a brief statement.



"The University does not -- and will not -- tolerate hazing in any form," the statement said.



The matter will be investigated by the Office of the Dean of Students and "adjudicated fairly and impartially through the student conduct process," the university said.



The school did not provide any additional details on the alleged hazing incident.



ABC News reached out to the program's head coach and diving coach for comment.



All students in the program will continue to have access to academic and medical resources available to all Boston College student-athletes, the athletics department said.



Any form of hazing is prohibited by the university and Massachusetts state law, the Boston College handbook notes.



Examples of hazing cited in the handbook include alcohol use, as well as "personal servitude; sleep deprivation and restrictions on personal hygiene; yelling, swearing, and insulting new members/rookies; being forced to wear embarrassing or humiliating attire in public; consumption of vile substances or smearing of such on one's skin; brandings; physical beatings; binge drinking and drinking games; sexual simulation and sexual assault."

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