/cdn.vox-cdn.com/uploads/chorus_image/image/55275141/655255534.0.jpg)
The NCAA has finally announced its punishment against Louisville men’s basketball after a sex scandal that first surfaced in 2015 alleging the program "paid escorts to dance for and have sex with players and recruits.”
Louisville coach Rick Pitino will be suspended for the first five games of the 2017-18 ACC basketball schedule. The program also received four years of probation that will last until June 14, 2021. During that time, Louisville basketball will also lose one scholarship per season.
It’s also possible that Louisville will be stripped of its 2013 national championship banner. From the NCAA’s report:
• A vacation of basketball records in which student-athletes competed while ineligible from December 2010 and July 2014. The university will provide a written report containing the games impacted to the NCAA media coordination and statistics staff within 45 days of the public decision release.
Chuck Smrt: Vacation of records could impact 108 regular-season Louisville games and 15 NCAA Tournament wins.
— Jeff Greer (@jeffgreer_cj) June 15, 2017
Pitino's penalty follows a recent trend of future Hall of Fame coaches who have been suspended by the NCAA. Larry Brown, Jim Boeheim, and Jim Calhoun have also been suspended over the last decade.
The school plans on appealing the penalties:
Louisville interim President Greg Postel said in a statement that the school will appeal the penalties levied by the NCAA.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanESPN) June 15, 2017
Pitino chimed in, as well:
Rick Pitino: “Personally, I've lost faith in the NCAA."
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanESPN) June 15, 2017
Pitino says he is confident they will win the appeal.
— Jeff Goodman (@GoodmanESPN) June 15, 2017
We’ll update this story as it develops.