NCAA sends letter of inquiry to Michigan State over Larry Nassar case
Michigan State’s athletic department is under investigation by the NCAA for its handling of the Larry Nassar situation.
"The NCAA has sent a letter of inquiry to Michigan State University regarding potential NCAA rules violations related to the assaults Larry Nassar perpetrated against girls and young women, including some student-athletes at Michigan State. We will have no further comment at this time," the NCAA said in a statement Tuesday night.
MSU spokesman Jason Cody confirmed the university received a letter of inquiry from the NCAA regarding the case of the former Michigan State doctor.
“I have not seen it,” Cody said. “We are reviewing it for a response.”
A message to Michigan State athletic director Mark Hollis has not yet been returned.
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Nassar, 54, of Holt, already has been sentenced to 60 years in prison on three federal charges related to child pornography. He will be sentenced this week on seven sexual assault charges, all but one related to abusing patients.
At least a dozen former Spartan athletes — from the gymnastics, volleyball, rowing, softball and track and field programs — were among the women and girls who have given victim-impact statements during the first six days of Nassar’s sentencing hearing in Ingham County Circuit Court.
Former MSU gymnastics coach Kathie Klages retired last year over her alleged role in dismissing athletes’ concerns about Nassar treatments.
The Nassar hearing will resume Wednesday morning, and the former MSU sports medicine doctor is expected to be sentenced after at least three more victim impact statements are given.
NCAA bylaws state “(i)t is the responsibility of each member institution to protect the health of and provide a safe environment for each of its participating student-athletes.”
“The NCAA has requested information from Michigan State about any potential rules violations,” Donald Remy, the NCAA’s chief legal officer, told the New York Times.
In a radio interview Monday in Lansing, MSU trustee Joel Ferguson laughed at the idea of the NCAA investigating MSU.
"This is not Penn State," he said, referring to the Jerry Sandusky sex abuse scandal from several years ago. "They were dealing with their football program. ... They're smart enough to know they're not competent to walk in here on this."
On Tuesday, Ferguson issued a statement apologizing for those remarks.
Contact Chris Solari: csolari@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @chrissolari. Download our Spartans Xtra app for free on Apple and Android devices!