KGUN 9News

Actions

Columbia wrestling team suspended over 'lewd texts'

Columbia wrestling team suspended over 'lewd texts'
Posted at 6:59 AM, Nov 15, 2016
and last updated 2016-11-15 08:59:40-05

Columbia University suspended its wrestling team after the university learned of lewd text messages sent by team members through the app GroupMe. 

The university announced Monday that it would investigate the matter after texts were published Thursday by Bwog, an independent, student-run news website. 

RELATED: Harvard suspends men's soccer team over sexual comments

The wrestling team is still practicing while the university investigates, according to the New York Times, and so there is a chance the suspension could be overturned. 

The athletic department “has decided that Columbia wrestlers will not compete until we have a full understanding of the facts on which to base the official response to this disturbing matter," according to the Times. 

The messages were racist, misogynistic and homophobic, according to the BBC

Columbia is not the first university to suspend a team for comments made by team members. Harvard suspended its men's soccer team for the rest of the season after team members reportedly made sexual comments about members of the university's women's soccer team.