Report: Baylor allowed Hammad to play despite incidents

WACO, Texas (AP) — A Baylor football player arrested this week on a felony stalking charge was allowed to play in 2015 despite being accused of sexual assault and violating a "no contact" order with his accuser, ESPN reported Thursday.

Baylor separately faces three federal civil lawsuits by eight women who have accused the school of ignoring or being indifferent to their claims of sexual assault dating back to 2005.

Baylor allowed Hammad to keep playing football despite the no-contact order, the call to police and the fact that just a month earlier, the university had hired the Pepper Hamilton law firm to investigate how the school handled sexual assault complaints.

Pepper Hamilton released its findings in May, concluding that Baylor had mishandled sex assault complaints for years and had created a culture that the football program was "above the rules."

A Baylor spokeswoman said in an email to ESPN that any determination of a Title IX procedure is communicated to both parties and all parties have the right to appeal as well as access to case-related information and investigations.