Mark Emmert Says 2010 MSU Sexual Assault Allegations Were 'Widely Reported'

NCAA President Mark Emmert said in an email obtained by the Associated Press on Saturday he did not turn a blind eye to allegations of sexual assault against former Michigan State athletes and that the incidents were "widely reported."

"The MSU cases were widely reported in the press and already being investigated by law enforcement and university officials," the email read, according to the AP's Ralph D. Russo. "[National Coalition Against Violent Athletes founder] Kathy [Redmond] did not imply that these were unreported cases or that she was acting as a whistleblower to report unknown information to the letter's recipients."

Emmert's comments came after a report from The Athletic's Nicole Auerbach that said he "was specifically alerted in November 2010—six months after he was hired as the organization's president—to 37 reports involving Michigan State athletes sexually assaulting women."

Both Auerbach and the AP obtained copies of a letter from Redmond to Emmert in November 2010 that highlighted the allegations against Michigan State athletes:

For example, despite recent reports of sexual violence involving two Michigan State University (MSU) basketball players, one of which admitted to raping the victim, neither man was charged criminally or even disciplined by the school. An earlier report of similar violence involving two other MSU basketball players also went un-redressed. In the past two years alone, 37 reports of sexual assault by MSU athletes have been reported, but not one disciplinary sanction was imposed by school officials against any of the men involved.

On Friday, Outside the Lines' Paula Lavigne and Nicole Noren published an investigation that revealed "a pattern of widespread denial, inaction and information suppression" regarding allegations of sexual assault and violence against women by MSU athletes on both the football and basketball teams.

According to the report, "at least 16" Michigan State football players were accused of sexual assault or violence against women dating back to the beginning of head coach Mark Dantonio's tenure in 2007.

The piece also outlined several accusations of sexual assault against former Michigan State basketball players, including Travis Walton, Keith Appling and Adreian Payne.