UF Men’s Basketball Coach Todd Golden makes statement, hints at defamation lawsuit
Staff report
GAINESVILLE, Fla. – In a social media post today, UF Men’s Basketball Coach Todd Golden did not directly address the sexual harassment allegations against him but said he was looking into whether he could bring defamation claims while the investigation is ongoing.
The post read, “For the last month, I have actively participated in and respected the confidentiality of an ongoing school inquiry. I have recently engaged Ken Turkel to advise me on my ability to bring defamation claims while this confidential investigation is ongoing. My family and I appreciate the support we have received and remain confident the university will continue its efforts to finish its review promptly.”
The complaint was filed on September 27 with the University of Florida’s Title IX Office, alleging that Golden had violated the UF Gender Equity Policy. Golden continued in his role as coach through at least yesterday, and the university has not announced any actions in response to the complaint. The team’s next game is on Monday, November 11.
The investigation became public when a notice sent to a “potentially impacted person” was sent anonymously to media outlets.
Specifically, the complaint alleges that during the past 12 months, Golden made unwanted sexual advances to women via social media, requested “sexual favors,” and sent photos and videos of his genitalia while traveling for UF.
The stalking allegations include taking pictures of women walking or driving and sending the pictures to the women, taking pictures of women’s cars in various locations and sending the pictures to the women, and showing up to locations where he knew the women would be.
The university does not comment on Title IX investigations until they are complete.
This is getting interesting.
May be a whupping worse than the the football team received.
Who’s doing this investigation? The media, UF police, GPD, or the SAO?
UF gender equity policy? I thought Desantis said UF had to get rid of the DEI BS. Is this a court of law?
Title IX is still the law and without it, women’s college and HS sports would be much diminished.
Title IX don’t apply here Jazzhole.
It’s a Title IX complaint dummy.
Unfortunately, thanks to some progressive liberals, some women’s and girls’ sports are being diminished now.
The university is conducting the investigation. These provisions in Title IX put the burden on universities, which have no experience or expertise in conducting investigations. They have little due process. It is, indeed, a kangaroo court.
Hopefully the Trump administration will reverse this provision and put investigations back into the criminal justice system, where they belong and where the rights of the accused are balanced with the rights of victims in a process developed with hundreds of years of scrutiny.
How is this a violation of title IX?
How does it apply? They are on the team or something?
Title IX is about sexual discrimination in sports…it does not apply here unless the girls were descrimnated against playing… these allegations will be dropped because there’s no standing under title IX…the alligator was wrong posting this BS. Wrong venue to bringing allegations at. This will be dropped and the SAO will not be filing any charges…there’s no crime.
The value of the alligator is reflected in it’s
price. Zero.
I don’t think anyone should be able to confidentially but publicly accuse another person of anything. That’s some military court BS.
At the very least he should be able to face his accuser.
Biden got rid of due process in Title IX investigations – “trust women”:
https://reason.com/2024/04/19/new-title-ix-rules-erase-campus-due-process-protections/
Paula, great link! Very informative article.
Evil, it does indeed resemble military courts.
Maybe the guy is innocent or maybe he’s guilty…this isn’t the way it should be handled though.
He knows who they are. They are named in the documents.
Evil – the accusers aren’t anonymous. The emailed documents were sent to media anonymously and then the Alligator contacted some of the women who reported Golden but kept their names confidential.
The alligator is a rag…I use it to line the bottom of my parrot cage.
This may be the end of the alligator …
The Alligator has broken some of the biggest UF stories of the last 1/2 year including much of the shameful Sasse situation, and now this.
Yeah, I just don’t agree with that system of justice. If you use media outlets to publicly accuse someone you should name yourself. If this was a civil or criminal court case and not covered under university title 9 the involved parties would all be named. Regardless of if he is innocent or guilty of the accusations this law or rule needs to be changed.
If the person making the accusations forwards the photos that were sent, then UF ought to be able to quickly check them against the real thing–the MD who does the annual hernia tests for athletes could be put in charge as a neutral observer, and the issue would be quickly resolved.
Clift – an excellent idea. 🙂
They need to subpoena the accuser’s phones to see if there’s a conspiracy here…maybe the girls send dirty pics back and forth to a bunch of dudes. Sounds like a scam to ruin his reputation.
Yes. Investigate the accusers if their boyfriends have ever sent them a dirty pic & vice versa.
Maybe the accusers are lgbqxyz transsexuals that can’t make the team.
You idiots have no idea what actually happened and why you would suggest a conspiracy speaks to your penchant for thinking everything is.
I hope Golden is innocent but have no idea if he is.
Clift: you get the stupidest thing said today award along with Janet
And jazz gets the stupidest award too…
Devastating argument Shaq. I’m speechless.
I’m with Jazzman on this. Calling someone stupid is hardly an argument, despite what thousands of mensa-credentialed trolls might think.
Clift, I’m OK with throwing elbows on a mud fight board like this – if only it wasn’t! – but at least have a pointed argument to go along with it.
Sounds fishy. Either he sent the D picks, or not?
If so, he needs to be fired along with Strickland and Napier.
Why fishy? What would be the motivation for multiple women to lie about him stalking, harassing and sending D pics?
Filing with Title 9 does not = money for the victims.
Do they just want him fired or is this maybe a very complicated way to get Strickland fired?
But suing Golden, the Athletic Association and UF can.
Bob: if he did not, what’s his legal resource? The judicial system needs to protect us from false accusations …is this some kangaroo court investigation with allegations sent to media & the alligator? Why not call the SAO
Office?
These seem to be criminal offenses, yet no mention of police involvement. Was title 1X enacted to protect students or apathetic administrators?
I don’t know if they are criminal offenses…just stuff that’s embarrassing. I think this is a fraud. There’s rules for evidence & procedure…a journalism student at the alligator is not a prosecuting attorney. I think there’s a problem with this title IX witch hunt.
It’s what the left did to kavenaugh…all a fraud.
…And Trump.
They should be fined civilly or put in jail.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WhsSzIS84ks
Gee, 9 people don’t like to hear the indisputable truth from the mouth of our pig like president elect. No wonder he won.
Jazzy Eastman..I’m guessing those 9 people you reference are either Nazis or Garbage. I forget…which is it that YOUR candidates called them…? And he won because of people like YOU and your echo chamber friends thinking you’re the smartest people in the room. Break out the hankies. You’ve got 4 more years to cry and whine.
Being lectured on how to act after losing an election by Trump followers is rich. That loser wouldn’t admit he lost, tried to overturn the result, and you idiots believed him. I’m still proud of my candidate and any American in their right mind should be ashamed of Trump and for our country for electing him.
See, this is why Title IX is still important, Kamala voters.
Who is kamala?
I don’t see any denials in this statement. It seems more like an intimidation tactic implying he’ll sue these women. There is zero reason for a UF coach (a married one at that) to be following and messaging female students on social media. This kind of case comes with receipts, some of which The Alligator already found.
Violation of UF gender equity policy & title IX?
These gals were discriminated against playing sports somehow by this coach? It doesn’t apply here‼️
The allegations will be dropped and
A defamation suit against the alligator.
Alligator has been liberal crap like the iguana & Sun for years…
Goodbye Alligator!
I’m sure you’ll be getting a certified letter from
Attorney Ken Turkel wanting to know who your liability insurance provider is?
Will you be printing that for us to see?
The Alligator, on the basis of important stories it’s broken just recently – this one and the Sasse shenanigans – is one of the best in the state. We may not like the news, but they are not making it up and are the 1st to report it, and in depth.
On the plus side UF athletes are higher quality young men than other SEC schools.
For example, no UF basketball players got in a fight on the trip to tonight’s basketball game in the Odome.
On a side note, UF students are much better at math and telling time than students at Ole Miss, where they think 16 = 0.
Yes very high quality like Aaron Hernandez
To all the keyboard kommandos making ridiculous statements about how Title IX doesn’t apply here, y’all should do AT LEAST 5 seconds of reading Title IX before you go showing your willful ignorance.
https://titleix.ufl.edu/about/title-ix-rights/#:~:text=Under%20Title%20IX%2C%20schools%20must,are%20prohibited%20by%20Title%20IX.
“Under Title IX, schools must ensure that all students and employees have equal access to education and educational facilities, regardless of sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity. Sexual harassment and sexual violence are forms of gender discrimination that are prohibited by Title IX.
When a student or employee has experienced a hostile environment such sexual assault or severe, pervasive, and objectively offensive sexual harassment, schools must stop the discrimination, prevent its recurrence, and address its effects. This includes retaliation from other students, school administrators, or faculty.”