At least Otto the Orange wasn't caught juicing.

Syracuse basketball under coach Jim Boeheim is getting a reputation.  The Orange are a great basketball program; they’re a Big East powerhouse and this season they have gone 30-1 and are the #2 team in the nation as of the last college basketball ranking.  However, their rise to the top may not have been squeaky clean.  In addition to the Bernie Fine molestation scandal, Syracuse may have also flouted NCAA rules during its rise to the top.  Sources have told Yahoo Sports that Syracuse has covered up positive drug tests for up to 10 players since 2001.

“We self-reported issues with drug testing to the NCAA, and there is currently an ongoing inquiry,” said a statement issued by Syracuse on behalf of its basketball program.  “The inquiry does not involve any current SU student-athletes.  To ensure the integrity of the ongoing process, we are unable to comment further at this time.”

According to what Yahoo uncovered, Syracuse is reported to have not reported positive drug tests and to have played and practiced using players who were ineligible for failing said drug tests.  In some cases, Syracuse did not even tell the players that they had failed drug tests, simply choosing to play them as normal in games, in practices, and at other times in which the players would have been suspended under NCAA regulations for using recreational or other drugs.  It goes without saying that those sorts of behaviors are bad in the NCAA’s eyes.

If Syracuse did knowingly ignore its own drug policy, it could trigger sanctions under the NCAA’s “Willful Violator” clause, which would waive the four-year statute of limitations in the case and allow the NCAA to sanction Syracuse as far back as needed (including the 2002-03 championship team) as well as hit The ‘Cuse with the dreaded “lack of institutional control” charge.

Image:  Syracuse University

Tags: Big East, NCAA basketball, NCAA violations,  Syracuse, Jim Boeheim, Syracuse University, Syracuse broke NCAA drug testing rules, drug testing, college basketball, willful violators, Syracuse violated NCAA bylaws, Syracuse faces NCAA violations, sports, basketball, Yahoo Sports

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