Rick Pitino Officially Fired From University of Louisville

Rick Pitino, the head coach of the University of Louisville basketball team was fired Monday by the school’s athletic association.

Pitino as well as Tom Jurich, the school's athletic director, were been put on administrative leave amid a federal bribery probe into the NCAA on Sept. 27.

Pitino’s lawyer, Steve Pence, told the Louisville Courier-Journal last month that he had been “effectively fired.” Pitino has served as the Louisville Cardinals' head coach since 2001. On Monday Pence presented a case to not fire Pitino to the athletic association which included a lie detector test saying he did not know about the latest scandal.

Louisville is being investigated for a “pay to play” scandal by federal prosecutors. The allegation states that the program was involved in a scheme where sports apparel giant Adidas bribed a player or players to come to the school and then represent the shoe company once they turn pro.

Brian Bowen, a five-star basketball recruit, is believed to be at the center of the FBI's investigation of Louisville. According to the Courier-Journal, an Adidas executive named Jim Gatto allegedly paid the player’s family $100,000.

In August, Louisville announced that a new sponsorship contract with Adidas worth $160 million over 10 years.

Pitino alleged he had no involvement in or knowledge of the scandal.

“The nature of the charges brought by the federal government are deeply disturbing,” NCAA president Mark Emmert said in a statement. “We have no tolerance whatsoever for this alleged behavior. Coaches hold a unique position of trust with student-athletes and their families, and these bribery allegations, if true, suggest an extraordinary and despicable breach of that trust. We learned of these charges this morning and of course will support the ongoing criminal federal investigation.”

The U.S. Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York said that it will continue its investigations.

Louisville was hit by a sex scandal in 2015 when a former escort claimed the program paid strippers and prostitutes to dance for and have sex with players and recruits. Louisville imposed a self-ban from the 2016 postseason and the NCAA suspended Pitino for the first five games of this season for not properly monitoring his basketball program.

Pence indicated earlier that Pitino would sue the school over breach of contract.