University of Louisville basketball coach Rick Pitino and school's athletic director have been effectively fired in the wake of a corruption and fraud scandal.
Tom Jurich, the athletic director, and Pitino met with the university's interim president, Greg Postel, on Wednesday morning.
Postel said at a news conference that Jurich is on paid leave, while Pitino is on unpaid leave. The coach's attorney, Steve Spence, told the Courier-Journal that Louisville has "effectively fired" Pitino.
Neither Pitino nor Jurich attended the news conference.
"I'm more angry than embarrassed," Postel said. "We will be looking for someone with integrity. There's no reason this team can't have a good season.
"It is vital for this university to strictly adhere to the NCAA rules and of course federal law. Failure to do that would be a tacit endorsement of criminal behavior."
Four NCAA basketball coaches and an Adidas manager are among 10 people that the FBI arrested in connection with a corruption probe.
Charges included using hundreds of thousands of dollars in bribes to influence athletes' choice of schools, shoe sponsors, agents.
The Louisville president confirmed the university is part of the investigation. Allegations include payments by Adidas of $100,000 to an unnamed player to make sure he signed with Louisville.
Postel also said Wednesday that one student-athlete has been informed he will not practice or play for the university until investigation is resolved.
"This decision will protect the interests of both the student and the University of Louisville," Postel said
The situation was the latest scandal involving the program and now-former coach Pitino. He already was suspended for the first five games of the season after a probe into an escort case. In 2016, reports said that the program paid an escort service to have sex with potential players, according to Sports Illustrated.
Pitino received his suspension, and the program received scholarship sanctions and revocations of wins. Pitino claimed he was innocent.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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