University of Maryland fires two athletic trainers in wake of football player’s death

The University of Maryland has fired two of its top athletic trainers that were highlighted in the investigation into football player’s Jordan McNair’s death.

The Washington Post reports that UMD’s assistant athletic director of athletic training and football program’s head trainer were fired Wednesday after being put on leave following McNair’s death in June. 

{mosads}An investigation found that the trainers did not follow proper protocol after McNair’s collapse, contributing to his death. The probe found that an abusive atmosphere at the school led to the player’s collapse and death due to exhaustion from a team workout.

“The trainers that were previously on administrative leave are no longer employed at the university,” a university spokeswoman told the Post.

UMD’s decision to fire the two trainers comes after the football team’s head coach, D.J. Durkin, was dismissed over the scandal at the end of October. The school had previously planned to retain the coach, but was pressured publicly by Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan (D) to reconsider.

“The university system of Maryland has let down the University of Maryland community and the citizens of Maryland, and now is the time to fix it,” Hogan said in a statement at the time.

The school’s Board of Regents, which was responsible for the previous reversed decision to retain Durkin, also recommended the two trainers fired Wednesday be kept on staff, according to the post.

University of Maryland President Wallace Loh apologized publicly for McNair’s death in August, before a final investigation into the scandal was completed.

“Based upon what we know at this time, even though the final report is not completed, I said to the family [of McNair], ‘The university owes you an apology,’ ” Loh said at the time. ” ‘You entrusted Jordan to our care and he is never returning home again.’ ”