Statement from Scott Tompsett and Bill Sullivan on Behalf of Bill Self

WASHINGTON, Sept. 23, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- I, Scott Tompsett of Tompsett Collegiate Sports Law, and Bill Sullivan of Pillsbury Winthrop LLP Washington D.C. represent Bill Self.

According to the Notice of Allegations released by KU, the NCAA enforcement staff has alleged that Coach Self lacked head coach control. In other words, the NCAA has alleged that Coach Self did not exercise appropriate due care in the management of his program. We will vigorously dispute that allegation.

The NCAA has not alleged that Coach Self was involved in or was knowledgeable about any illicit payments to recruits or student-athletes. The NCAA has not alleged that Coach Self or anyone on his staff was involved in or had knowledge of any illicit payments. If illicit payments were made, Coach Self and his staff were completely unaware of them.

In fact, the undisputed evidence from the SDNY trials is that the illicit payments were deliberately and intentionally concealed from KU and Coach Self. Mr. Gassnola testified as a government witness that he deliberately concealed the payments from KU and Coach Self.

After a comprehensive FBI investigation in which KU cooperated fully, federal prosecutors determined that both KU and its athletics department had been the subject of a criminal conspiracy to defraud them. After several weeks of trial last year, the federal jury agreed, finding that KU and its employees were unaware that the defendants' illicit payments compromised the eligibility of certain student-athletes. Indeed, federal Judge Lewis Kaplan has ordered that restitution payments be made to KU to compensate KU for the fraud that was committed against it. 

In the upcoming months, I and Mr. Sullivan will prepare a comprehensive and detailed written response to the Notice of Allegations. We will address each and every allegation.

Then Coach Self and we will appear before the Committee on Infractions (COI) for a full hearing to discuss the case. The COI will then deliberate and issue its decision.

While this process moves forward, Coach Self asks that the Jayhawk Nation support the current team as they work for another Big 12 Conference title, an NCAA tournament bid and ultimately compete for a national championship.

Scott Tompsett
Tompsett Collegiate Sports Law

William Sullivan
Pillsbury Winthrop Shaw Pittman LLP

SOURCE Pillsbury

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