The Star Tribune is reporting that 10 Minnesota football players were suspended indefinitely on Tuesday. Minnesota declined to explain the reasons for the suspensions, citing "privacy restrictions relating to student educational data."
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The ten suspended players are: Ray Buford, Carlton Djam, Seth Green, KiAnte Hardin, Dior Johnson, Tamarion Johnson, Kobe McCrary, Antonio Shenault, Mark Williams and Antoine Winfield Jr.
Four of the players have already served a suspension this season for an unspecified violation of team rules. Those four players were Buford, Hardin, and both Johnsons.
TwinCities.com reports that the suspension stems from a September sexual assault allegation. The four previously mentioned players were suspended three games for an investigation that took place for those allegations for which charges were never pressed.
Here's a statement from that report explaining the new circumstances surrounding the original investigation:
Ray Buford Sr., a 17-year law enforcement official in Michigan, told the Pioneer Press that the suspensions are tied to an early-morning incident on Sept. 2 where four players — Buford, Hardin, Dior Johnson and Tamarion Johnson — were "mentioned" in a Minneapolis Police report that included a woman's allegations of sexual assault. The Hennepin County Attorney's Office declined Oct. 3 to press charges, citing insufficient evidence.
Buford said the new suspensions are the result [of] an investigation by the University's Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action (EOAA) and were relayed at 5 p.m. Tuesday. Buford said "some" of the players were recommended for expulsion from the university, and he added that will be met with appeals.
Minnesota finished the season 8-4 and in good spirits, but likely won't be feeling that with the suspensions going into the Dec. 27 game against Washington State in the National Funding Holiday Bowl.
