Mel Tucker ‘not surprised’ to find out Michigan State intends to fire him with cause

Suspended Michigan State coach Mel Tucker said in a statement Tuesday that he was not surprised the school intends to fire him with cause after he allegedly sexually harassed an anti-sexual assault activist who was contracted to work with the football team.

The school said Monday that it had informed Tucker of its intention to fire him with causes and that he had seven calendar days to respond and present reasons to the school why he shouldn’t be fired.

Brenda Tracy filed a Title IX complaint against Tucker with the school in December and said the football coach made unwanted advances and even masturbated while on the phone with her without her consent earlier that year. Tucker has contended that their relationship was consensual and reportedly told Michigan State investigators that he was having “phone sex” with Tracy during the call.

Tucker said in his statement that “other motives are at play” and that he doesn’t believe “MSU plans to fire me because I admitted to an entirely consensual, private relationship with another adult who gave one presentation at MSU, at my behest, over two years ago.” He also said Tracy “manufactured false allegations” against him.

In its letter to Tucker, Michigan State said that it has multiple grounds to terminate the coach’s contract because Tracy was working as a vendor for the school. Tucker’s 10-year, $95 million contract included behavior clauses and Michigan State said Tucker’s behavior “demonstrates conduct which constitutes moral turpitude” and was conduct that “brought public disrespect, contempt or ridicule upon the university.”

You can read Tucker’s statement in full here.

Mel Tucker was suspended without pay by Michigan State on Sept. 10 and was informed Monday that the school intends to fire him with cause. (Photo by Mike Mulholland/Getty…

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Publish date : 2023-09-19 15:39:37

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