Notre Dame Suspends Men’s Swimming Team for Academic Year Due to Gambling Violations and Misconduct (Cont.)
Coaching Staff Unaware of Misconduct
Despite the severity of the infractions, the investigation found that the coaching staff was unaware of the extent of the misconduct, including the gambling activities. According to Bevacqua, the coaching staff was cooperative during the investigation and had taken appropriate action when made aware of isolated incidents of misconduct. However, the team members had actively concealed their behavior, preventing the coaches from fully understanding the situation.
“Team members effectively concealed such behaviors from the coaches and staff through concerted efforts,” Bevacqua noted. “When the staff became aware of certain isolated incidents of unacceptable conduct, they treated them seriously and professionally. We appreciate the continued service of the staff to our women’s swimming and diving programs and our men’s diving program during these difficult times.”
Impact on the Program and Future Steps
The suspension affects not only the current members of the men’s swimming team but also incoming athletes who were set to join the program this fall. While Bevacqua acknowledged the unfairness of penalizing those not involved in the misconduct, he stressed the importance of upholding the university’s values and the need for a complete cultural reset within the team.
“Although we regret that the small number of team members who did not participate in the conduct, and those who were planning on joining the team this fall, will also suffer the consequences of this decision, we recognize that our students make mistakes. Our goal is to educate and support them to the best of our ability,” Bevacqua stated.
Notre Dame swimming coach Chris Lindauer expressed his support for the university’s decision, highlighting the importance of this step in restoring the program’s integrity. “While it has been a difficult few months, I am confident that Notre Dame took the correct steps to ensure this misconduct does not continue,” Lindauer said. “Our team culture is my utmost priority, and I am committed to improving the student-athlete experience both in and out of the pool. I am hopeful we will emerge from this situation stronger than ever.”
Moving Forward
The suspension of the men’s swimming program comes on the heels of Notre Dame’s recent athletic successes, including swimmer Chris Guiliano’s gold medal win as part of Team USA’s 400-meter freestyle relay team at the Olympics. Despite these achievements, the university is taking a firm stance to address and correct the issues within its athletic programs, ensuring that all student-athletes adhere to the high standards expected at Notre Dame.
As the university works to rebuild the men’s swimming team, the focus will be on fostering a culture of integrity, respect, and excellence, both in competition and in the lives of its student-athletes.
