Syracuse Coach Accused of Molesting Ball Boys

Bernie Fine put on leave; Jim Boeheim leaps to his defense
By Rob Quinn,  Newser Staff
Posted Nov 18, 2011 2:22 AM CST
Syracuse Assistant Coach Accused of Molesting Ball Boys
ISyracuse basketball assistant coach Bernie Fine watches a college basketball game earlier this week.   (AP Photo/Kevin Rivoli, File)

More sexual abuse allegations have surfaced in the world of college sports. Bernie Fine, an assistant basketball coach at Syracuse University, has been placed on administrative leave amid allegations that he molested two former ball boys. Bobby Davis, now 39, claims Fine molested him starting when he was in the seventh grade and sexual contact continued until 12 years ago. Mike Lang, Davis' stepbrother, says Fine molested him beginning when he was in the fifth or sixth grade.

Davis has been making the allegations since 2003, while Lang says he decided to come forward now because of the Penn State scandal. Syracuse says it conducted its own investigation in 2005 and found nothing to support the allegations. Head coach Jim Boeheim firmly rejects the allegations, and denies Davis' claim that he often saw him in Fine's hotel rooms. "I know this kid, but I never saw him in any rooms or anything," Boeheim tells ESPN. "It is a bunch of a thousand lies that he has told." (More Bernie Fine stories.)

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