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This year, one of college sports’ most powerful athletic departments has also been embroiled in numerous scandals across multiple high-profile sports.
On Thursday, the University of Alabama athletic department announced it had fired baseball coach Brad Bohannon the same week ESPN reported concern over suspicious bets on an Alabama-LSU game. Athletes were reportedly not involved.
The bets, which a responsible gambling monitor had flagged called U.S. Integrity, caused the Ohio Casino Control Commission and multiple other states to halt all betting activity on Alabama baseball. Later, evidence emerged of a person placing a bet while in contact with Bohannon, per ESPN. Bohannon could face legal repercussions.
“There must be zero tolerance for activity that puts into question the integrity of competition,” SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said in a statement. While Sankey noted the conference is monitoring the situation, it is unclear if the SEC office has launched a formal investigation.
It’s the latest in a string of scandals across the Alabama athletic department.
Deputy athletic director Matt Self was arrested on a domestic violence charge earlier this week.
During the basketball season, two basketball players, Darius Miles, and Brandon Miller, were named in connection with a deadly shooting in January. Despite the allegations, the Crimson Tide ranked No. 1, allowing Miller to play in the NCAA tournament.
Two other athletes have also been arrested this year on charges related to possession of marijuana and firearms. Men’s basketball transfer Jaykwon Walton will not matriculate to Alabama, and football player Tony Mitchell has been suspended from the team.
