Former Arizona head coach Lute Olson took a shot last week at the already-concluded NCAA investigation upon the men’s basketball team.
Calling the investigation “”a farce,”” Olson told RadioExiles.com that the NCAA investigators “”had to satisfy their people in Indianapolis by coming up with something.””
The NCAA found the basketball program guilty of four major infractions under Olson and announced final penalties, including loss of scholarship, earlier this year.
“”As far as I’m concerned, that situation is not over yet because they deserve to have something thrown back at ‘em,”” Olson said. “”But the university was concerned that if you challenged them, then they’ll hit you harder. And now that I’m no longer involved with that, I can tell the truth as opposed to all the fabrications of the truth that the NCAA gave out.””
The NCAA responded Friday, releasing a letter on their website:
“”Lute Olson’s recent comments regarding the NCAA’s investigation into his basketball program are inaccurate and misleading,”” the letter said. “”When the enforcement staff receives reliable information that a major rules violation has occurred, it must investigate and gather facts.””
The letter also said Olson declined multiple attempts for investigators to question him on the matter. It also claimed he refused to attend two official meetings in which he had the opportunity to state his case.
Olson told ESPN in 2008 that he believed the main infraction — regarding a letter with his signature that violated NCAA rules — was “”my error.””
— Kevin Zimmerman