Sep. 26, 2003
It’s official: The Michigan basketball team can dream to
dance.
The NCAA Division I Infractions Appeals Committee announced
yesterday it has reversed the basketball team’s postseason
ban for the upcoming season. The committee cited that a postseason
ban in addition to the one-year ban the University self-imposed on
itself in 2002-2003 was excessive.
“I really felt like (the appeals committee) understood the
issues and distinctions and why it was different, and why we felt
the original infractions committee had not really judged
them,” said University President Mary Sue Coleman, who
addresses the appeals committee in August.
The ruling is the official end to the NCAA’s investigation
behind the program’s scandal in the early to mid-90’s
involving booster Ed Martin, who gave $616,000 and special benefits
to former Michigan players Chris Webber, Maurice Taylor, Louis
Bullock and Robert Traylor.
“With today’s announcement, this long and unpleasant
chapter in the University history has ended once and for
all,” Michigan Athletic Director Bill Martin said. “We
have learned some hard lessons from this experience, but we emerged
from it with a stronger program and a renewed commitment to the
highest standards of integrity.”
Don Canham, University Athletic Director from 1968-1988,
believed that the appeals committee made their decision because the
violations were dealt with so well by Michigan head coach Tommy
Amaker and the rest of the University.
“(The committee has) always been extremely fair in my
opinion,” Canham said.