*Morehouse College received financial sanctions Monday after a weekend basketball game ended with Benjy Taylor, Tuskegee University’s head coach, being handcuffed by security personnel.
We reported earlier that the Southern Intercollegiate Athletic Conference announced financial penalties against Morehouse for protocol violations related to safety requirements . The league found that Morehouse failed to provide adequate protection measures required of hosting institutions under conference rules. Officials pointed to deficiencies in managing spectators at Forbes Arena and protecting visiting personnel as they arrived and departed the venue. The financial penalty’s exact figure remains undisclosed.
“In accordance with SIAC Policy 1.9 (Security), the conference determined that Morehouse College did not satisfy the required security standards for a host institution, specifically as it relates to crowd control and ensuring the safe entry and exit of visiting teams and game participants,” SIAC said.
The controversy erupted during the traditional postgame handshake line when Taylor encountered Morehouse football players who had positioned themselves within the customary handshake procession between competing basketball teams. According to Taylor and Tuskegee athletic director Reginald Ruffin, the coach approached a security officer requesting assistance removing the football players from the ceremonial procession, where they allegedly shouted profanities.
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Taylor was subsequently placed in handcuffs and escorted away from public view. Video of the detention spread across social media platforms, prompting widespread reaction. “I am at a loss for words, and I am upset about how I was violated and treated today,” Taylor said. “For my players, my family and people of Tuskegee to witness that is heartbreaking for me.”
Ruffin disputed claims from the officer that Taylor behaved aggressively. “He asked the security officer, ‘Can you please remove them from the line?’ That’s what he asked the security officer,” Ruffin told HBCU Gameday. National civil rights attorney Harry Daniels now represents Taylor, with potential legal action under consideration.
No criminal charges resulted from the incident. Tuskegee University President Mark Brown publicly supported both Taylor and the team, praising student-athletes for their conduct throughout the ordeal.
MORE NEWS ON EURWEB.COM: Tuskegee Coach Handcuffed After Morehouse Security Request | WATCH
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