Georgia responds to AJC report of sexual, domestic violence within football program

On Wednesday, an Atlanta Journal Constitution report detailed a troubling number of Georgia football players and signees have been involved in alleged sexual assault or domestic violence incidents with women in recent years.

The AJC report identified 11 players during Kirby Smart’s tenure “who remained with the team after women reported violent encounters to the police, to the university, or to both.”

The latest example cited by the AJC report involved a previously unreported incident involving freshman defensive tackle Jamaal Jarrett in June 2022.

While a recruit visiting Georgia, Jarrett was investigated for an alleged sexual assault stemming from a night drinking with potential future teammates. He was 16 years old at the time. Police decided not to charge Jarrett in the incident, and the Bulldogs later welcomed him as a signee.

Even though sexual assault charges ultimately were not filed against Jarrett, the defensive tackle has been in the headlines for other reasons this spring. Jarrett apologized in May after making ‘racially insensitive remarks’ during the 2023 NFL Draft in an Instagram Live video.

Another example in the AJC report involved a top defensive player, linebacker Adam Anderson, who was jailed on a rape charge after an allegation he violated a woman who worked part-time with the football team after she passed out from drinking in October 2021.

Despite the fact that the alleged victim worked part-time for the football team, eight players showed up in court to lobby for Anderson’s release.

The AJC report also cited another player who was charged with recording a sex act with an unconscious woman. That player remained on the team for a full season before transferring.

Those incidents, along with others uncovered by the paper’s reporting, led the AJC to conclude that they illustrate “how [Georgia’s] national-champion football program rallies to support athletes accused of abusing women.”

The Georgia football program provided a statement to the AJC, noting its coaches suspend players who face ‘any credible allegation of sexual violence or assault’ during the investigation process.

“The University of Georgia and athletic association consider any allegation of sexual assault or domestic abuse to be a very serious matter, and we take swift and appropriate action in response to allegations when warranted by law enforcement or internal investigations,” the statement provided to the AJC said. “This policy is applied universally across our university community to students, student-athletes, staff and personnel. Student-athletes are subject to the exact same disciplinary process as other students, and in addition, face further athletic program disciplinary measures, which can include suspension and dismissal from the team.”

And while the AJC reported on several known instances of alleged sexual assault or domestic violence, the publication notes that the exact number of accusations is unclear, writing:

“The football program’s handling of sexual and domestic violence allegations emerged in a review of dozens of court cases and police investigations. The Journal-Constitution identified 11 players during Smart’s tenure who remained with the team after women reported violent encounters to the police, to the university, or to both. In some instances, particularly those involving domestic violence, the police either filed no charges or prosecutors allowed players to plead guilty to lesser charges.

“The exact number of accusations involving Georgia players is unknown. Many cases result in no police investigation, but rather are handled through a confidential campus disciplinary system.”