U of M Hoopster Robinson Censured for Ref Criticism

CHICAGO — Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany has issued a reprimand and censure order for Michigan’s basketball player Rumeal Robinson for public statements he made about officials after last week’s Michigan-Iowa game.

Delany said Robinson broke conference regulations when he criticized referees in a postgame news conference after Michigan’s 78-76 loss last Saturday.

A spokesman from Delany’s office today would not comment on what comments Robinson made.

But the Iowa City Press-Citizen on Sunday reported that Robinson complained that the game’s referees showed preferential treatment to Iowa.

“Everyone wants to play level basketball, and the referees tilt the game toward one team,” the Press-Citizen quoted Robinson as saying.

“I think this is a sorry league for referees to begin with,” Robinson continued. “The job they did was poor. They shouldn’t even be paid for this.”

Michigan interim director of athletics Jack Weidenbach and men’s basketball coach Steve Fisher reportedly also took disciplinary action against Robinson.

Mike Murray, a spokesman at the athletics department in Ann Arbor, Mich., said he had no information on the alleged actions.