The University of Guelph has fired longtime track and field and cross-country coach Dave Scott-Thomas after it received information about "unprofessional conduct."
The U of G will not detail any of the information or who it came from, only saying that it was reviewing other information when some new information came to light.
The school also denied requests for interviews with anyone in administration regarding the situation.
The release issued Tuesday around noon reads as follows:
“The University of Guelph has terminated its relationship with Dave Scott-Thomas, the head coach of its track and field program. Recently, the University received information from former and current track and field athletes regarding their experiences on the team. During the course of reviewing this information and in the last 24 hours, the University became privy to new information regarding past unprofessional conduct. The well-being of our student-athletes is a priority; the University does not tolerate conduct from its coaches that is inconsistent with the core values and beliefs of the University of Guelph and our University’s Coaches Code of Conduct.”
The cross-country program is considered part of the school's track and field program.
The release came from the school's communications department.
Scott-Thomas had been on an extended personal leave from the school. He last coached in September.
He is also head coach of the Speed River Track and Field Club, which he founded in 1998 as an extension of the U of G running program. There was no immediate word on his status with that organization, although he had been on personal leave from his duties with the club as well.
Scott-Thomas is arguably the most successful cross-country coach in Canadian university history, having coached teams to numerous national championships, won coach of the year over 30 times in various categories and has helped many of his runners get to the Olympics.
There has been a steady stream of elite Canadian runners who have come to Guelph to train with him and the elite cadre of runners that were based here over the years.
