The Register-Guard reported yesterday Oregon distance runner A.J. Acosta is not currently suspended, director of track and field Vin Lananna said, but wouldn’t comment further. That leaves the question, was he suspended in the first place?
Having talked with people around the team in the last three days, I believe I know the answer, but frankly, no one can comment on the matter because Lananna asked all team members to not talk to the media about it at a team meeting Monday. So that’s where we stand right now.
If you don’t know the backstory to this latest post, I wrote on Sunday that Acosta confirmed he was suspended indefinitely for a role he played in an alcohol incident involving freshman Luke Puskedra (who could score major points at the West Regional and NCAA meets in the Duck men’s title run) although Acosta was not present when Puskedra fell and needed stitches on his head, which I learned this week from several sources who wished to remain anonymous because of Lananna’s mandate to stay silent on the matter.
So we have Acosta who said he was on Sunday, and Lananna who says he is no longer. Who would like to clear up the gray area in between, on the record?
