Harvard puts men’s cross country team on athletic probation

BOSTON – Harvard University has placed its men’s cross country team on athletic probation after school lawyers found that the 2014 team made “crude and sexualized” documents about the women’s cross country team.

Harvard Athletic Director Robert Scalise sent an email to team members Friday night. He says no problems were found with the current team and they’ve been truthful and forthright about shortcomings in the team’s culture.

Probation means the runners’ behaviour will be monitored.

Scalise had asked for an investigation after The Harvard Crimson student newspaper reported that the men’s team produced yearly spreadsheets about the women’s team, sometimes rating appearances and making lewd comments.

Harvard cancelled its men’s soccer season this fall after finding that soccer players created a similar document with sexually explicit comments about women’s soccer players.