Mohamed Muqtar, the staff member who former Cal women’s basketball player Layshia Clarendon claims sexually assaulted her as a freshman, is currently on administrative leave, according to a statement from Cal Athletics.
The date on which Muqtar’s leave began is unknown as Cal Athletics does not comment on personnel leaves of absence. The university has not clarified whether the leave is directly related to the allegations.
A month ago, Clarendon filed a lawsuit with the Alameda County Superior Court against the UC Board of Regents.
The lawsuit alleges that Muqtar, the assistant director of student services at Cal, had a position of power within Cal Athletics and that he used his position of power, as well as lack of oversight, to sexually harass student-athletes at Cal.
According to Jennifer Bandlow, Clarendon’s lawyer and a partner at the Cochran Firm, numerous student-athletes aside from Clarendon have come forth with allegations.
Cal Athletics released a statement in light of the allegations, saying, “Cal Athletics is and will always be committed to fostering a culture where everyone feels safe, welcome and respected. … Layshia Clarendon holds a special place in our history for her contributions to Cal women’s basketball both on and off the court and we are saddened to hear of the allegations that are coming to light today.”
After the allegations were made public, Clarendon discussed the situation on Twitter in three separate posts.
“My biggest hope is that he never does this to anyone else,” reads the second of three tweets. “That no one else has to suffer under his hand, or him violating their bodies again. That this would be the end of him assaulting people. #TimesUp.”
Prior to the lawsuit, Clarendon, along with five other professional athletes, wrote an essay for an Athletes United project in which she shared her experiences with sexual assault.
“I am speaking up because I want people to know that it can happen to anyone, that you are not alone and that it was not your fault,” Clarendon wrote in the essay.
