The NCAA has cleared the Michigan State University athletic department of any wrongdoing in its handling of the Larry Nassar sex abuse scandal.
In a statement, the university said it was notified by NCAA Vice President of Enforcement Jonathan Duncan that the university did not violate any NCAA legislation.
"We welcome closure in regards to the NCAA inquiry," MSU Athletic Director Bill Beekman said in a statement. "MSU cooperated fully with the inquiry over the past several months and provided all requested documentation and access to key personnel
The NCAA also conducted a second review after an ESPN 'Outside the Lines' report found "denial, inaction and information suppression" about sexual abuse at the university. The report said that there were also problems with the football and basketball departments.
The university was also cleared in that review, with the NCAA saying MSU "has not substantiated violations of NCAA legislation."
On Jan. 23, 2018, the NCAA reached out to MSU for their response to the sexual assaults committed by Nassar and its position on whether or not it violated NCAA legislation. Two months later, on March 23, the university shared its position that it did not violate NCAA legislation.
"In regards to the crimes committed on our campus by Larry Nassar, the NCAA findings do not change a thing. NCAA member organizations have a specific set of rules to which we hold each other accountable," Beekman added in a statement. "While we agree with the NCAA that we did not commit a violation, that does not diminish our commitment to ensure the health, safety and wellness of our student athletes. That pledge permeates everything we do as part of a larger university commitment to making MSU a safer campus."
