Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: SATURDAY, May 8, 1993 TAG: 9305080223
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: C1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: KANSAS CITY, MO. LENGTH: Medium
Schultz, implicated in an improper loan program that was in place while he was athletic director at Virginia, spent the previous three days pleading his case to the executive committee, the NCAA body with supervisory powers over the executive director.
"I think I've been treated very fairly," Schultz said. "I know what their decision is. They informed me. I'm just not free to talk about it."
Schultz and other NCAA officials conceded that delaying the announcement for four days might fuel speculation he had not been entirely cleared.
"The reason for the delay is so they can have time to prepare the Park Report for distribution to the news media," said Schultz, adding that he would take part in the news conference on Tuesday.
James Park Jr., an independent investigator, was hired by the NCAA to probe Schultz's involvement in the program, which gave Virginia athletes no-interest loans.
In the meantime, the NCAA boss disputed a former Virginia athlete's claim that Schultz helped him get the no-interest loans.
Willie Snead, who played football at Virginia in 1984 and 1985, told the Daily Progress of Charlottesville, Va., that Schultz told him to ask for a loan to pay for plane tickets home to Florida in December 1984.
Schultz, Virginia's athletic director from 1981-1987, consistently denied knowing about the no-interest loans, which are a violation of NCAA rules.
Snead told The Daily Progress he approached Schultz for loans a second time in the spring of 1985. Snead said he went to Schultz "first both times and he told . . . me where to go."
"I remember Willie Snead," Schultz said. "I never sent anybody to student aid for a loan, Willie Snead or anybody else. Period. I think there's other testimony that verifies that."
He said he could not elaborate until Tuesday.
Three former Virginia staff members said in an internal probe by the school that Schultz had knowledge of the loans.
This is the first time an NCAA investigation has reached into the executive director's office.
"We all understand the unusual nature of this case," Joseph Crowley, president of the NCAA and chairman of the executive committee, said earlier.
Ironically, the improper loans that threatened Schultz's job brought only minor penalties to the university when the NCAA Infractions Committee announced its findings on Thursday.
by CNB