Attorney: Louisville has ‘effectively fired’ Rick Pitino

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Rick Pitino’s attorney has told the Courier-Journal that Louisville has put the basketball coach on administrative leave, but has “effectively fired” Pitino amid a federal bribery investigation.

Steve Spence told the paper Tuesday the coach was out before a scheduled news conference at the school.

Pitino’s exit comes after the school acknowledged on Tuesday that the men’s program is part of a federal investigation into alleged bribery of recruits. The 65-year-old coach was not named in the indictment that resulted in the arrest of 10 people including four assistant coaches at other schools and an Adidas executive.

But it is the latest black eye for the Cardinals program. Pitino and Louisville are in the middle of appealing NCAA sanctions handed out in June following an escort scandal.

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