EIU investigation reveals that members of men's swim team violated hazing policy

CHARLESTON, Ill. (WAND) — After suspending the men's swim team competition for the fall 2023 semester, Eastern Illinois University announced that members of the men's swimming team were involved in conduct that violates EIU's hazing policy.

The university said that the initial report of hazing was made by coach Jonathan Jordan, who is in his second season as head coach. The investigation confirmed that Jordan had no prior or tacit awareness of the hazing.

First-year student-athletes in the swim program were made to participate in activities characterized as "traditions." One such activity involved underclassmen swimmers being made to create PowerPoint presentations on topics that were inappropriate, harmful, and distasteful, often relating to sexual topics.

Some student-athletes were subjected to derogatory nicknames.

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'Credible reports of hazing' leads EIU to suspend men's swim team competition

In addition, the investigation found that some swimmers created a team culture "promoting excessive and underage alcohol consumption that required a recent medical intervention for a first-year student-athlete."

Men's swimming will immediately resume at the university with ongoing oversight from the department of Intercollegiate Athletics. Competition will resume in January after the team participates in anti-hazing and alcohol abuse workshops. Similar trainings will be held for all EIU intercollegiate athletic teams.

Regarding the roster, the university said this in its statement:

"EIU has a zero-tolerance approach to hazing in all of its forms. The Dean of Students oversees student-standards-related discipline. Intercollegiate Athletics is responsible for determining the official roster for the remaining 2023-2024 season. As student disciplinary actions are confidential and protected under the Federal Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), the University cannot comment further."