The University of Notre Dame has suspended its men's swimming program for at minimum the 2024-25 academic year. Per a statement from Notre Dame's Vice President and Director of Athletics Pete Bevacqua, an external review of the team uncovered "a deeply embedded team culture dismissive of Notre Dame's standards for student-athletes" along with multiple violations of NCAA rules which prohibit gambling.
According to the review, conducted between Notre Dame and the law firm of Ropes & Gray LLP, the majority of the team's members participated in the misconduct.
The gambling scandal involved the team developing its own sports book to wager on various members' swimming performances, according to reporting from Sports Illustrated.
The team's coaching staff, led by head coach Chris Lindauer, participated in the review and never knew of the gambling issue nor the range of additional concerning behaviors throughout the program.
"As stated at the launch of the review, we take seriously our obligation to foster a community of student-athletes who not only compete and perform at the highest level academically and athletically, but whose conduct reflects the University's values," Bevacqua's statement read. "We hope this decision sends a clear and unequivocal message reaffirming that commitment and expectation."
The suspension follows a highly successful 2023-24 season of Notre Dame men's swimming. Five months ago, the program claimed its first top-10 finish at the NCAA championships before sending its first United States representative, freestyler Chris Guiliano, to the Olympics.
With the suspension's announcement coming Thursday afternoon, athletes may still have the freedom to transfer prior to the first day of classes on Aug. 27. Both diving teams and the women's swim team will continue with their 2024-25 seasons unaffected by the penalty.
