CHAPEL HILL, N.C. - North Carolina mistakenly failed to omit the name of a student-athlete when it gave a newspaper a copy of a letter informing the student of a positive drug test, athletics director Dick Baddour said.
Baddour's statement came Wednesday, after the paper, The Herald-Sun of Durham, reported that the school had given it a copy of a June 28 letter from Baddour to ``Adarius,'' in which the athletics director informed the athlete that a random drug test had detected the presence of marijuana in a urine sample.
North Carolina wide receiver Adarius Bowman, was one of three Tar Heel football players suspended this week after being cited for marijuana possession. Bowman is the only person with the name Adarius listed in the school's online student directory.
The Associated Press was not immediately able to reach Bowman for comment by phone or e-mail.
In an open letter posted on the school's athletics Web site, Baddour said the university has apologized to the student-athlete, whom he did not identify.
The Herald-Sun said it obtained the letter in July, through a public records request; it was one of 12 that Baddour sent to university athletes between November and June, informing them of positive drug-test results.
All but one of the tests indicated marijuana use; the 12th showed evidence of amphetamine use.
In each letter, the date of the drug test and the coach's name were removed, and the name of the recipient was removed in every case except the letter addressed to ``Adarius.''
``A mistake was made in one instance and I have been told that the University has apologized to the student-athlete in question,'' Baddour said in his statement Wednesday.
The letters informed the athletes that they were on probation, the terms of which were to be explained by their head coach. The Herald-Sun said the letters also inform athletes that they must participate in drug counseling and submit to ``unannounced monthly testing.'' Copies are sent to parents, the newspaper reported.
The school said this week that Bowman, linebacker Fred Sparkman and defensive tackle Isaiah Thomas had been suspended indefinitely.
Bowman has 18 catches, three of them for scores, and has a team-best 329 receiving yards.
Officers went to Thomas' dorm room late Sunday after reports of a suspicious odor, according to a police report.
According to the report, Thomas handed over a small bag of marijuana, and a search of the room found more of the drug.
At a news conference Tuesday, coach John Bunting cited confidentiality when asked whether any of the three had failed drug tests performed by the school. He said there was no timetable for the players' return.
Monday
January 27th, 2025
3:04AM
