Advertisement

Barnett placed on leave, apologizes

BOULDER, Colo., Feb. 19 (UPI) -- Colorado Coach Gary Barnett is on administrative leave, partly for comments he made about a former player who said she was raped, the university announced.

After Katie Hnida said in a magazine article she was raped by a teammate in 2000, Barnett commented that, as a football player, "Katie was not only a girl, she was terrible ... There's no other way to say it."

Advertisement

Late Wednesday, University President Elizabeth Hoffman placed Barnett on paid leave. An interim coach was to be named.

"We believe that in the context of a rape allegation, it is inappropriate to make statements about the ability of the player," Hoffman said.

Barnett apologized for answering a question about the Hnida article "in a manner where I must have come across as insensitive ... I am very sensitive to Katie's allegations. I want to do whatever I can to help Katie," the Denver Post reported.

Hoffman also said she was "utterly distressed" about comments Barnett made in a 2001 police report.

Three other women have sued the school, alleging they were raped by either football players or recruits at a party in 2001.

Advertisement

A special commission is investigating.

Latest Headlines