Coach, players suspended

Members of cross country team benched for one meet

Cal State Long Beach head track coach, Andy Sythe, and seven members of CSULB's men's and women's cross country teams have been suspended for one meet - for violating the team's alcohol policy.

The CSULB athletic director, Dave O'Brien, said the event in question took place in August, at the team's pre-season training retreat in Northern California.

Current and former team members held an initiation for the team's rookies, which involved alcohol, O'Brien said.

All CSULB athletes must sign an agreement saying they will not drink alcohol during the athletic season.

O'Brien said that Sythe took no part in the initiation and was totally unaware that students consumed alcohol there, but he also said that when Sythe learned of the event in September, he should have reported it.

Sythe, who took disciplinary action against the student perpetrators, was suspended because the act was "so serious that I should have been notified" as well, O'Brien said.

Many sport teams, as well as fraternities and sororities, have initiation rituals intended to bring about a sense of camaraderie, but the use of alcohol in these ceremonies is usually prohibited.

"That's simply not going to be accepted," O'Brien said.

O'Brien said that Sythe's job is not in jeopardy over the incident, but the coach, now in his sixth season, will miss Saturday's meet at Cal Poly Pomona.

The seven suspended team members had their cases turned over to interium vice president of student services, Doug Robinson, to see if further disciplinary action would be taken.

Robinson said the action taken by O'Brien was appropriate and no other actions will be made.

"I reviewed it," Robinson said, "and from what I see, I don't think any other actions should take place. The athletic director handled the situation well, and his decision will have an impact on the future behavior of the men and women on the cross country team."