It’s official. According to a report from John U. Bacon, the University of Michigan has terminated hockey coach Mel Pearson‘s employment.
It is official:
The University of Michigan has terminated hockey coach Mel Pearson’s employment.— John U. Bacon (@Johnubacon) August 5, 2022
Report raises concerns about coach Mel Pearson, ‘culture and operation’ of Michigan hockey
From The Wolverine:
Michigan hockey coach Mel Pearson will not be extended and has been let go effective immediately, sources have informed TheWolverine.com. Pearson’s contract expired in April, and allegations that surfaced in the months prior proved to be his undoing.
Specifically, Pearson was accused of telling players to provide false information on COVID contact-tracing forms, of misleading recruits about how much scholarship money they would receive, and of allegedly calling one player a “Jew.”
Mel Pearson has reportedly been fired following an investigation.
Pearson, who had been the Wolverines’ head hockey coach since 2017, was accused of keeping employees who had “contemporaneous knowledge of sexual conduct committed by former University physician Dr. Robert Anderson.”
He was also accused of mistreating women in the Michigan hockey program and violating the university’s COVID-19 protocols, along with “retaliation against unfair treatment of student-athletes.”
From Detroit News:
The report concludes that “multiple instances” have been identified in which “team leadership acted unprofessionally — especially in interactions with female staff members and in treatment of student-athletes” But that Pearson did not directly violate Michigan’s policy on sexual and gender-based misconduct, saying, “we do have concerns about the culture and operation of the men’s hockey program.”
In the report, it is stated multiple times that Pearson’s recollection of events were not credible.
Nation, do you think Michigan made the right decision to fire Mel Pearson?
