The University of Minnesota Gophers announced Saturday they will end the team's boycott of all football activities, a walkout they originally said would continue until 10 players suspended over allegations of sexual assault were reinstated. "As a team we understand that what has occurred these last few days and playing football for the University of Minnesota is larger than just us," said wide receiver Drew Wolitarsky after meeting with the university's board of regents, president, and athletic director on Friday.
The suspension which sparked the boycott was ordered by the school's Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action pursuant to an investigation into a female student's claim that a sexual encounter she had with several players was not consensual. The accused Gophers say she did give consent, and local law enforcement concluded there was "insufficient admissible evidence" for prosecution, noting that in videos of the encounter she did not appear to object to her circumstances.
The team described the boycott as a protest "that our brothers have been named publicly with reckless disregard in violation of their constitutional rights," and they were promised the accused players would receive a "fair hearing" as a condition of ending their strike. The Gophers will now be able to play in the Holiday Bowl on Dec. 27.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
-
Confessions of a Brain Surgeon: an 'exceptional' documentaryThe Week Recommends Retired neurosurgeon Henry Marsh reflects on his pioneering work with exquisitely 'raw honesty'
-
A new subtype of diabetes was found and it may require different treatmentUnder the radar It is prevalent in Black Africans and Americans
-
Crossword: August 20, 2025The Week's daily crossword
-
Trump to host Kennedy Honors for Kiss, StalloneSpeed Read Actor Sylvester Stallone and the glam-rock band Kiss were among those named as this year's inductees
-
White House seeks to bend Smithsonian to Trump's viewSpeed Read The Smithsonian Institution's 21 museums are under review to ensure their content aligns with the president's interpretation of American history
-
Charlamagne Tha God irks Trump with Epstein talkSpeed Read The radio host said the Jeffrey Epstein scandal could help 'traditional conservatives' take back the Republican Party
-
CBS cancels Colbert's 'Late Show'Speed Read 'The Late Show with Stephen Colbert' is ending next year
-
Shakespeare not an absent spouse, study proposesspeed read A letter fragment suggests that the Shakespeares lived together all along, says scholar Matthew Steggle
-
New Mexico to investigate death of Gene Hackman, wifespeed read The Oscar-winning actor and his wife Betsy Arakawa were found dead in their home with no signs of foul play
-
Giant schnauzer wins top prize at Westminster showSpeed Read Monty won best in show at the 149th Westminster Kennel Club dog show
-
Beyoncé, Kendrick Lamar take top GrammysSpeed Read Beyoncé took home album of the year for 'Cowboy Carter' and Kendrick Lamar's diss track 'Not Like Us' won five awards
