With under a month left until University of Idaho Athletic Director Rob Spear completes his leave of absence, further accusations of sexual assault by UI athletes came to light.
A woman filed a report to Moscow Police after a Nov. 16 incident involving a UI athlete, The Moscow-Pullman Daily news reported Thursday. According to police records obtained by the Daily News, police alerted Spear of the incident via email after the 2 a.m. report had been filed.
Rob Spear
The report directly contradicts what Spear told ASUI April 4 during an open forum. During the meeting, Spear told the Senate the Athletics Department had not dealt with instances of sexual assault “in the recent past.”
“We can’t report on any investigation, whether there is one or not within the university,” said UI Director of Communications Jodi Walker. “Typically, our normal policy is that any such complaints that we would get at the university, we would follow protocol and it would be investigated.”
Nicole Skinner, who will serve as ASUI president next fall, said she was incredibly disappointed in Spear and his April 4 statement.
“We maintained transparency, honesty, and integrity to the best of our ability throughout that process and I would expect the same out of any administrative official,” Skinner said. “Having a conversation about the best way to address the sexual assault culture in the athletics department is one thing — completely disregarding the issue is another.”
Spear’s comments came moments before the Senate passed a resolution calling for his resignation from the university.
“I’m hurt that Spear feels so comfortable sweeping the stories of students under the rug as if they never happened,” she said. “We were lied to in an attempt to dissuade us, which is unacceptable.”
According to the Daily News, no charges were filed and the case closed Jan. 23.
The Argonaut will continue to cover this story.