{"id":9444,"date":"2016-12-17T16:40:00","date_gmt":"2016-12-17T16:40:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/associatednews.us\/content\/2016\/12\/17\/university-of-minnesota-football-team-ends-boycott-will-play-bowl-game\/"},"modified":"2016-12-17T16:40:00","modified_gmt":"2016-12-17T16:40:00","slug":"university-of-minnesota-football-team-ends-boycott-will-play-bowl-game","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/associatednews.us\/content\/university-of-minnesota-football-team-ends-boycott-will-play-bowl-game\/","title":{"rendered":"University Of Minnesota Football Team Ends Boycott, Will Play Bowl Game"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Bill Chappell<\/a><\/span> <\/p>\n

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The University of Minnesota’s football team had refused to take part in any preparations for their upcoming bowl game, after 10 players were suspended. The school’s stadium is seen here in a 2012 file photo. Paul Battaglia\/AP<\/strong> hide caption<\/strong><\/p>\n<\/div>\n

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Paul Battaglia\/AP<\/span><\/div>\n<\/div>\n

Ending a boycott that was sparked by the suspension of 10 players over an alleged sexual assault, the University of Minnesota’s football team says they’ll play in the Dec. 27 Holiday Bowl. The team relented after meeting with school administrators Friday.<\/p>\n

In addition to promising to play in the game in San Diego later this month, the team sought to clarify its position.<\/p>\n

“Let me first state so there is no misperception: sexual harassment and violence against women have no place on this campus, on our team, in our society, and at no time is it ever condoned,” said senior wide receiver Drew Wolitarski.<\/p>\n

The team’s statement, delivered by Wolitarski, also faulted the school’s leaders for not giving them any advance notice about the suspensions.<\/p>\n

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Full statement from gopher players pic.twitter.com\/FxKe9vcjTu<\/a><\/p>\n

\u2014 Peter Cox (@peterncox) December 17, 2016<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n<\/div>\n

The players had earlier complained<\/a> that several of the athletes had already been punished with multiple-game suspensions because of the case, and that the new suspensions \u2014 and in some cases, potential expulsions \u2014 levied by the university’s Office of Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action had come without due process.<\/p>\n

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