FIU Coach Suspended Amid Sexual Harassment Claims

Florida International University has suspended women’s basketball coach Marlin Chinn after a player come forward with allegations of sexual harassment and claims of a $600 loan, which would be an NCAA violation.

Senior guard Destini Feagin, a team captain, said in an interview with the Miami Herald that Chinn has pursued a sexual relationship with her for most of the season. She also claimed Chinn took her to the bank and gave her $600 in cash last December to pay off the debt on her school account.

Chinn, in his first year at FIU, allegedly sent Feagin a series of inappropriate text messages and told her in January, “I have sexual fantasies about you.” From the Miami Herald:

Feagin also let the Herald listen to a recorded conversation she had with Chinn, during which the coach says to Feagin, “When you decide that we lay down together, I want you to want it more than I do. And I’m not going to force you to do that. But that’s how I’ve always been. I’m not going to push you.”

Feagin says she was suspended for the rest of the season and did not participate in a senior night ceremony after she reported her allegations to the school and the NCAA.

The Miami university issued the following statement on Tuesday: “FIU is conducting an investigation into allegations made against coach Marlin Chinn. Based on the allegations, the university has suspended coach Chinn, pending the outcome of the investigation. Because this is an ongoing investigation, the university will not provide additional comments at this time.”

The Herald reported the FIU athletic department held a mandatory meeting Tuesday on sexual harassment and coach-player relations. Chinn was not present at the meeting but his assistant coaches were, the newspaper reported.

Chinn has declined comment to the newspaper.

The Panthers, 4-23, have two more regular-season games this week, plus the Conference USA Tournament next week.