Officials from Saint Mary’s University have suspended up to nine varsity football players from the team after the athletes were found tweeting racist and sexist messages online.
The tweets, initially discovered by the University of King's college journalism school's online publication unews.ca, allegedly endorse acts of violence against women, rape and derogatory terms against homosexuals.
One student reportedly tweeted, “that bitch bit me last night. Hope your dead in a ditch, you are scum.”
Other posts include racial slurs against Asians and misogynistic jokes against women.
The Halifax university attracted international attention last September when a video emerged showing students at a Frosh week event chanting slogans endorsing underage sex without consent.
In response to the scandal, the university launched an independent investigation in December that contained 20 recommendations on “cultural changes to prevent sexual violence” on campus.
In a statement released Monday night, officials from the school condemned the actions of the players.
“The comments posted by these individuals are completely inappropriate and unacceptable,” said Dr. David Gauthier, Vice-President Academic and Research at the university.
“They are inconsistent with our university values and with what we have committed to address as recommendations from the President’s Council Report.”
The students have not been suspended from the university, but the school says the athletes could face further discipline if officials can confirm that they wrote the posts.
