LOUISVILLE, Ky. — The president of Louisville announced a one-year postseason ban Friday for the men’s basketball team amid ongoing investigations into a sex scandal, a decision that stunned Coach Rick Pitino.

The president, James Ramsey, said an investigation revealed violations did occur when the school reviewed allegations by an escort that a former Louisville staffer paid her and other dancers to strip and have sex with recruits and players.

Ramsey said the ban is for all postseason tournaments, including the NCAA and the Atlantic Coast Conference. The president said he received the latest results of the investigation Thursday, but noted the review of the allegations is continuing.

“We found out … we had a problem,” said Athletic Director Tom Jurich, adding the university wanted to deal with the findings as quickly as possible.

Pitino wasn’t consulted about the decision but said he was “a soldier in this army and I do what the generals say.”

That does not mean he agreed.

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“This is a punishment I never thought would have happened this season,” said Pitino. “This is as harsh as anything I’ve ever seen in college basketball.”

The Cardinals (18-4, 7-2 ACC) are ranked No. 19 and set to play Boston College on Saturday. They would have been a lock for a tournament berth if they had not won the league title.

Pitino, 63, has denied knowledge of allegations in a book by Katina Powell that the former director of men’s basketball operations, Andre McGee, paid $10,000 for 22 shows performed by her and other strippers, including three of her daughters.

Powell’s allegations rocked the Louisville community and led to four separate investigations into Pitino’s program.

Louisville notified the NCAA about the allegations in late August and immediately launched its own investigation.

Pitino said he told his players in a moment he described as “painful.”


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