Utah Coach Scolded for Slur on Female Athletes

University of Utah basketball Coach Rick Majerus has been reprimanded for remarks he made last week on a Milwaukee radio station regarding alleged “irregular sexual behavior” in women’s athletics.

In a statement Monday, which contained Majerus’ apology, the university quoted Athletic Director Chris Hill as saying the coach was “severely reprimanded” for comments made Wednesday on station WTMJ.

“You know, with women’s athletics, my experience has been there’s a great deal of, and I’ll be frank with you here, there’s a great deal of irregular sexual behavior,” Majerus had said during a call-in talk show.

“And you know, that’s never been brought to the forefront. If that were that prevalent in men’s athletics, there would be Sports Illustrated, Time magazine would have exposes from now to eternity,” Majerus added. “But it’s like, they’re not visual, no one can name the women’s basketball coach at Marquette. Hell, I can’t name her.”

Hill said when he learned of Majerus’ statement, he was “angry, upset, shocked.” He said the school is “committed to sponsoring women’s athletics. . . . I am very proud, and the administration shares my pride, in the coaches and their women athletes.”

On Sunday, Hill, university President Chase Peterson and other university officials met with Majerus to discuss unspecified sanctions against the coach. Hill said the matter was being handled internally.

Hill declined to give specifics of the reprimand, saying only that “it did not affect his job, but he knows it will in the future” if a similar incident occurs.

Majerus, 41, moved to Utah in April after leading Ball State to a 29-3 record during the 1988-89 season. In his five years as a collegiate coach--three years at Marquette, two at Ball State--he compiled a 99-52 win-loss mark.

In his apology, Majerus said he had “made a terrible mistake.”

“I’m sorry for any ill will or any problem this has caused anyone else,” he said. “I’m penitent, I’m contrite and I’ve been reprimanded. I put my foot in my mouth and I’m done with it.”