Yale suspends crew program during investigation

Thursday, December 7th 2000, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

NEW HAVEN, Conn. (AP) _ Yale Athletic Director Thomas Beckett has suspended the university's varsity heavyweight crew program in the wake of allegations of underage drinking at a social event.

Beckett issued the suspension on Tuesday and ordered an investigation into a team social gathering on Saturday night, said Scott Proper, captain of the crew team.

Proper, an Niskayuna, N.Y native, said team members, including freshmen, ate pizza and went bowling that night in New Haven.

``There's been some misunderstanding about what bowling night is about,'' Proper said. ``It's to establish better relationships with freshmen and upperclassmen. The sole purpose is to make the team do better. Crew is a very team-oriented sport.''

Yale spokesman Tom Conroy said Beckett suspended the program because of an investigation into possible violations of student regulations.

Conroy declined to provide any details about the allegations or the investigation.

However, Proper told the Yale Daily News that two freshmen were taken to the university medical center Saturday night because of alcohol intoxication at the bowling night event.

Beckett said Wednesday a staff member saw the two being brought to the medical center and reported it to the Dean of Students.'

Beckett said the university has ``zero tolerance'' for the alleged behavior.

``You only hope that students understand by doing such things, they put themselves and their teammates at risk,'' Beckett said.

The crew program at Yale has one of the longest histories of any college sports program.

Yale established the first boat club in America in 1843, and the Yale-Harvard crew race in 1852 was the first intercollegiate athletic event in the United States.

The heavyweight crew season's team ended Nov. 12 and begins again in the spring.