Harvard suspends men’s soccer team over sexual comments

Harvard University has suspended their men’s soccer team this season after it was discovered that they had made lewd comments about some members of the women’s soccer team.

It was discovered that the team had produced vulgar and explicit ‘scouting reports’ rating the women on the teams sexual appeal and physical appearance.

The Crimson, Harvard’s student newspaper, reported that the 2012 men’s soccer team had compiled a “scouting report” of that year’s women’s soccer recruits, rating them and assigning each a hypothetical sexual position. University President Drew G. Faust instructed OGC, Harvard’s team of lawyers, to “review” the matter.

Faust, released a statement after an investigation: “I was deeply distressed to learn that the appalling actions of the 2012 men’s soccer team were not isolated to one year or the actions of a few individuals, but appear to have been more widespread across the team and have continued beyond 2012, including in the current season.”

She added: “The decision to cancel a season is serious and consequential, and reflects Harvard’s view that both the team’s behaviour and the failure to be forthcoming when initially questioned are completely unacceptable, have no place at Harvard, and run counter to the mutual respect that is a core value of our community.”

The men’s soccer team is currently ranked first in the Ivy League men’s soccer table and was one win away from a guaranteed NCAA tournament spot. However, since the team has been shut down for the rest of the season, they automatically lose their spot.

Athletics Director Robert L. told the Crimson, Harvard’s student newspaper: “We strongly believe that this immediate and significant action is absolutely necessary if we are to create an environment of mutual support, respect, and trust among our students and our teams. Harvard Athletics has zero tolerance for this type of behaviour.”

He added that the Office of Sexual Assault Prevention and Response will work to “further educate” not only the soccer team, but all student athletes in general.

Pieter S Lehrer, the men’s soccer team coach, said in a statement: “We are beyond disappointed that our season has ended in this way, but we respect the decision made by our administration. We accept responsibility for our actions, and I know that we will use the experience of this terribly unfortunate situation to be better.”

The six women from the other team wrote an article entitled “Stronger Together” for The Crimson, strongly condemning the “scouting report.”

The article also read: “The sad reality is that we have come to expect this kind of behaviour from so many men, that it is so “normal” to us we often decide it is not worth our time or effort to dwell on. [We are] beyond hurt to realise these individuals could encourage, silently observe, or participate in this kind of behaviour, and for more than four years have neglected to apologise [until recently].”

They concluded: “I can offer you my forgiveness, which is — and forever will be — the only part of me that you can ever claim as yours.”

The women’s team have since invited the male side to join them in their fight against “locker room” culture.