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Georgia athletes charged with possession

ATHENS, Ga., April 22 (UPI) -- Five freshmen football players and one freshman basketball player from the University of Georgia were charged Tuesday with a misdemeanor violation of the Georgia Controlled Substance Act.

The charges - releated to an unidentified substance - resulted from a response by UGA campus police to McWhorter Hall on Thursday night. Each student-athlete reported to the Clarke County jail Tuesday afternoon and was released on bail.

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The football players were defensive backs Tim Jennings and DeMario Minter, wide receivers Bryan McClendon and Mario Raley and offensive lineman Randall Swoopes. The basketball player was guard Wayne Arnold.

Georgia football Coach Mark Richt took immediate action, suspending each of the five a minimum of two games. They also must undertake a minimum of 30 hours community service, internal discipline consisting of additional physical activity and required counseling.

"They will pay a severe price, and hopefully they will learn a very valuable lesson early that will make them better over the long haul," Richt said.

New basketball Coach Dennis Felton, who last week replaced the embattled Jim Harrick, was out of state on a recruiting trip but understood the serious nature of the charges.

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"Unfortunately, I have been unable to communicate with Wayne, but will do so when I return and determine the appropriate action to take," Felton said. "I would say that any behavior associated with substance abuse will not be tolerated in our program."

In a statement, the school pointed out that it was "the first major college in the country to develop and implement a comprehensive substance abuse education, awareness and discipline program, beginning in 1982."

Felton took over a program ravaged by controversy. Harrick resigned last month in the wake of allegations made by former Bulldogs guard Tony Cole that the coach and his son provided him financial and academic benefits.

The claims led to the firing of assistant coach Jim Harrick Jr., the self-imposed withdrawal of the team from the NCAA Tournament and the suspension of the elder Harrick, who later resigned. He has refuted the charges.

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