GREENSBORO N.C. — North Carolina A&T State University fired an athletics official and suspended a second after learning coaches were urged against testing potential athletes for the sickle cell trait two days before one died during a tryout.
The university fired associate athletics director Merlene Aitken and suspended top athletic trainer Roland Lovelace with pay, The News & Record of Greensboro reported Wednesday.
The newspaper reported earlier this month that a public records request uncovered an Aug. 17 e-mail from Lovelace to nine coaches and to Aitken asking coaches not to have student athletes tested until they were selected to a collegiate team.
“The reason for this is that the student health center is charging the athletic department for this test to be done,” Lovelace wrote.
An NCAA rule implemented Aug. 1 requires students trying out or participating in Division I sports to be tested for the blood trait, show proof of a test or sign a waiver.
N.C. A&T on Tuesday released a copy of a June e-mail from Benicia Cleveland, then the school’s sports medicine director, informing coaches about the upcoming NCAA rule change.
“Based on the June 10 e-mail, the athletics department should have known,” spokeswoman Nicole Pride said.
