On Jan. 29, Rasheed Sulaimon became the first player ever dismissed from the Duke men’s basketball team under Coach Mike Krzyzewski, with the NCAA’s all-time victories leader saying the junior guard “repeatedly struggled to meet the necessary obligations.”
But according to a report from the Duke Chronicle, Sulaimon was alleged to have committed sexual assault by two separate women during the 2013-14 academic year. Both women told others of the incidents, but neither filed a complaint with Duke’s Office of Student Conduct or the Durham Police Department. However, sources told the Chronicle that members of Duke’s athletic department — including Krzyzewski — were aware of the allegations as early as March 2014, approximately 10 months before Sulaimon was dismissed from the team.
Here’s the Chronicle with more:
Separate allegations of sexual assault by Sulaimon came from two female students in the 2013-14 academic year. Both students voiced allegations publicly, but neither filed a complaint through the Office of Student Conduct or took legal action through the Durham Police Department. The students declined to discuss their allegations with The Chronicle.
In October 2013, a female student said in a large group session at the student-led diversity retreat Common Ground that Sulaimon had sexually assaulted her, three retreat participants said. At the following semester’s Common Ground retreat beginning in February 2014, a second female student said she had been sexually assaulted by Sulaimon, according to four retreat participants.
Common Ground is a four-day retreat in which students discuss identity—including issues involving race, socioeconomic status, gender and sexuality—through interaction with other participants, discussion groups and personal narratives. The retreat is held once each semester, with 56 participants selected from a student applicant pool.
A former affiliate of the Duke basketball program, who was with the team throughout the majority of Sulaimon’s basketball career, became aware of the allegations made at the Fall 2013 Common Ground. The anonymous affiliate began speaking to the female student in January 2014, and began speaking to the second female student in March 2014 after learning of her allegations.
The allegations were brought to the attention of a team psychologist in March 2014, the anonymous affiliate said. That month, the allegations were brought to Krzyzewski and assistant coaches Jon Scheyer and Nate James and associate head coach Jeff Capel.
The anonymous affiliate said other athletic administrators were then made aware of the allegations. Among the administrators identified by the anonymous affiliate were Mike Cragg, deputy director of athletics and operations; Director of Basketball Operations David Bradley; and Kevin White, vice president and director of athletics. The allegations were also brought to the attention of Sue Wasiolek, assistant vice president of student affairs and dean of students, according to the anonymous affiliate.
“Nothing happened after months and months of talking about [the sexual assault allegations],” the anonymous affiliate said. “The University administration knew. Kevin White knew, Mike Cragg knew.”
Sources close to the two women told the Chronicle that they did not pursue school or legal action against Sulaimon because they feared reprisal from Duke’s fan base. A lawyer claiming to represent Sulaimon told the Chronicle that he believed the allegations to be false. Sulaimon is still a student in good academic standing at Duke, the Chronicle reports.
According to the Chronicle, most Duke employees must report a sexual assault allegation if they become aware of one. Plus, federal Title IX rules state that the school must investigate any sexual assault allegations, even if the student doesn’t file a complaint.
Sulaimon averaged 7.5 points and 2 rebounds in 20 games for Duke this season, all of them in a reserve role. He was a starter during his freshman year in 2012-13, averaging 11.6 points per game, but his production and his usage declined in his two subsequent seasons with the team.
After spending the first 17 years of his Post career writing and editing, Matt and the printed paper had an amicable divorce in 2014. He's now blogging and editing for the Early Lead and the Post's other Web-based products.
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