Basketball players protest punishment over clogged toilet at Florida college
By Jaylen Baron
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FORT MYERS, Florida (WBBH) — Two basketball players at Florida SouthWestern State College (FSW) are protesting their punishment after a clogged toilet overflowed, resulting in the loss of their scholarships, a $5,000 fine, and eviction from campus housing.
Jeremy Innocent and Aboulaye Konate were roommates on campus and a part of the FSW starting line-up.
“This is my life on the line,” Jeremy Innocent said.
Innocent expressed his frustration, saying, “It’s kind of wrong. You know, the school has problems already. You know, just before this situation happened, some kid almost burned the dorm down. He still stays there. And then, you know, over a toilet. They messed up. Toilet. They tried to kick us out.”
Around 20 people joined the protest to support the players.
A women’s volleyball player who lived in the same dorm as Aboulaye Konate and Innocent mentioned that plumbing issues are common in Light House Commons, and her teammates have previously asked Doulie for help with clogged toilets.
Mike Love from the NAACP said they were asked by the FSW coaching staff to assist the sophomores.
“I’ve been falsely accused by FSW, causing damage and flooding the campus. Impossible. The facts are clear. These allegations are not only unfounded but also unprecedentedly selective. Over 20 prior incidents of similar damage have occurred on this campus,” Love said.
FSW provided a statement, saying, “An accumulation of a variety of violations may result in severe sanctions such as suspension, expulsion, or negative notation on a transcript.”
Both Konate and Innocent are starters and will continue to face schools throughout the season.
Their coaches have advised them to block out any outside noise when stepping onto the basketball court.
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