Duke Basketball News: Rasheed Sulaimon Dismissed Due To Multiple Sexual Assault Allegations

The Duke Blue Devils dismissed guard Rasheed Sulaimon from the team last month for what they called "repeated struggles to meet the necessary obligations" of being a Duke basketball player, marking the first time coach Mike Krzyzewski had kicked a player off a team in his career.

According to the Duke Chronicle, Sulaimon was dismissed after being accused of sexual assault by two different female students during the 2013-14 academic year:

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.

Both female students voiced their accusations publicly, but didn't take action through the Durham Police Department or file a complaint with the school.

The report states that a former affiliate of the program learned of the allegations in January 2014, and the coaching staff became aware in March 2014 but didn't take any action until this past month. The anonymous affiliate said the students didn't pursue legal action because they feared public backlash:

“[The Jameis Winston sexual assault case reaction] would be the same from a fan base as large and as passionate as Duke’s,” the anonymous affiliate said. “Nothing happened after months and months of talking about [the sexual assault allegations]. The University administration knew. [Director of Athletics] Kevin White knew, [Deputy Director of Athletics] Mike Cragg knew."

Sulaimon is still a student at Duke and is "in good academic standing."

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