CSU athletes, staff say athletic administration covering up COVID-19 health threat Wochit

Colorado State UniversityPresident Joyce McConnell wasted little time in securing an outside law firm to lead the investigation into the athletic department'shandling of public health precautions surrounding COVID-19

McConnell sent an email to the athletic department and student athletes late Thursday afternoon announcing Colorado State Universityhas hired law firmHusch Blackwellto conduct the investigation. The email said the firm based in Kansas City, Missouri, has experience conducting investigations related to university athletic departments.

In a Wednesday interview with the Coloradoan, McConnell said she wanted to move quickly in finding a firm.

The investigation was spurred by a Coloradoan story Tuesday in which football players and athletic department staff asserted the athletic administration was covering up the COVID-19 health threat.

The two primary Husch Blackwell investigators on the CSU case will be Hayley Hanson and Demetrius Peterson.

In her Thursday email in announcing the firm, McConnell wrote a report will be made available to those in athletics and that staff and student-athletes may be interviewed and should reach out to those investigators.

"My expectation is that everyone will fully cooperate with the investigation,'' she wrote in the email. "If you have information that is relevant to the investigation, it is critical that you share it with the investigators.Any attempts to retaliate against, pressure, or intimidate individuals who participate in the investigation will not be tolerated.Should that occur, please report that conduct to the investigators or to my office immediately.''

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Reporter Miles Blumhardt looks for stories that impact your life. Be it news, outdoors, sports you name it, he wants to report it. Have a story idea? Contact him at milesblumhardt@coloradoan.com or on Twitter @MilesBlumhardt. Support his work and that of other Coloradoan journalists by purchasing a digital subscription today.

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CSU hires firm to investigate athletic department's handling of COVID-19 threat - Coloradoan