An investigation into former Rutgers athletic director Pat Hobbs, who resigned last August, concluded that he had a “relationship” with gymnastics coach Umme Salim Beasley that violated university policy.
Hobbs quit his $1.1 million job on Aug. 16, two days after learning the school was launching an investigation into his alleged consensual relationship with Salim Beasley, according to the report.
Hobbs was a regular at gymnastics competitions and practices, and gymnasts reported unusual behavior, including comments Hobbs and Salim-Beasley made to each other at a tarot card reading event. USA Today reported.
The four-month, $750,000 investigation was conducted by the law firm Lowenstein Sandler and interviewed 62 witnesses. Mr. Hobbs declined to be interviewed.
Two gymnasts said that at an athletic club tarot event last winter, Hobbs was asked about the most important thing in life. The former athletic director looked at Salim Beasley and said, “Love.”
The gymnasts were also perplexed that “Hobbs accompanied the team on a trip to Nashville and participated in a yoga session with the team and coaches,” investigators reported.
Salim Beasley had “lost control” of the program and was running a “fractured and dysfunctional organization,” the investigation concluded. Rutgers announced on Friday, shortly after the report was released, that Salim Beasley was placed on administrative leave.
Both Hobbs and Salim-Beasley are married to other people.
Investigators said Rutgers hired them after reports of a “toxic environment” in the gymnastics program, including bullying and favoritism on Salim Beasley's part.
Despite the apparent discord within the team, at least one gymnast wrote a glowing review of Salim Beasley, calling him “the greatest coach of my life.”
Salim Beasley said he never played against the favorites and never ignored gymnasts' physical or mental problems.
