Sex Attack Claim Axed Rhodes Bid by Yale Star

(Newser) – It turns out Yale's star quarterback didn't have to make a wrenching decision after all when he turned his back on a potential Rhodes Scholarship. Patrick J. Witt announced late last year that after much agony he opted to skip his final interview for the prestigious award and instead play against Harvard. But the New York Times is reporting that Witt was no longer in the running for the Rhodes because he had been accused of sex assault by a fellow student, according to sources. The Rhodes Trust informed Yale and Witt that his candidacy was suspended, the Times reports.

The accuser hasn't filed a police report or an official report with the university, though she did make a complaint with Yale's Committee on Sexual Misconduct. Witt, 22, is no longer a student. He completed his class work and is writing his senior thesis, according to the newspaper. Witt did not return phone calls to comment. The Witt situation, which initially seemed to be such a PR coup for Yale and its brainy super athlete, has turned into a mess for the university. Yale's football coach resigned last month when it emerged that the coach had fudged his own resumé to make it appear that he was once a Rhodes candidate. Yale is currently being investigated by the US Department of Education for its handling of sex harassment and discrimination complaints on campus, particularly concerning the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. Witt was a member of the frat.