Saint Mary's athletes face suspension after sexist tweets

Saint Marys University will suspend up to nine members fromits football team after they published messages of hate, racism and sexism online, the Halifax school said Monday.

Saint Mary's University was the subject of international scrutiny in thefall after a video emerged of a frosh week chant encouraging underage sex without consent.

The university appointed a panel to look into that incident and said it would change the culture on campus.

But some players usedTwitter to continue to post obscene messages.

One player tweeted, that bitchbit me last night. Hope your dead in a ditch, you are scum.

Other posts included racist jokes and slurs about women and homosexuals.

'Completely inappropriate and unacceptable'

The comments posted by these individuals are completely inappropriate and unacceptable, said David Gauthier, vice-president academic and research. They are inconsistent with our university values and with what we have committed to address as recommendations from the Presidents Council Report.

SMU said between six and nine players will be suspended from the football team. They have not been suspended from the university. SMU said theycould face further discipline under the schools code of conduct if the school confirms they wrote the posts.

In December, the university endorsed a report from an independent council that contains 20 recommendations on cultural changes to "prevent sexual violence and inspire respectful behaviour and a safe learning environment at Saint Marys."