The University of Wisconsin-Madison Police Department (UWPD) is investigating the sharing online of private photos and videos of the university’s women’s volleyball team, reportedly including one photo of some players lifting their sports bras up and baring their breasts.
The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel received one of the photos, reportedly taken after the team clinched the Big Ten title last November, in which several players are lifting up their sports bras.
“We are aware that private photos and video of UW volleyball student-athletes that were never intended to be shared publicly are being circulated digitally,” the university stated.
“UWPD is not investigating the volleyball student-athletes for wrongdoing in this matter,” the statement added. “Our top priority is supporting our student-athletes and we are providing them with the appropriate services and resources.”
The university asserted that players on the volleyball team notified the university police after discovering the posts online. “The unauthorized sharing is a significant and wrongful invasion of the student-athletes’ privacy, including potential violations of university policies and criminal statues,” the university stated.
Statement from UW Athletics pic.twitter.com/M2lK2OYg8a
— Wisconsin Badgers (@UWBadgers) October 19, 2022
Most of the photos have reportedly been taken down from where they had appeared.
The team has achieved tremendous success under coach Kelly Sheffield, competing in the last three Final Fours and the team has reached the finals three times in the last ten years. The team currently has a 13-3 record, 7-1 in the Big Ten and ranked fifth nationally.
Here is the full statement from UW Athletics on the incident:
We are aware that private photos and video of UW volleyball student-athletes that were never intended to be shared publicly are being circulated digitally. The unauthorized sharing is a significant and wrongful invasion of the student-athletes’ privacy, including potential violations of university policies and criminal statutes. When the student-athletes became aware of the circulating photos, they contacted the UW-Madison Police Department.
UWPD is investigating multiple crimes, including sharing sensitive photos without consent. UWPD is not investigating the volleyball student-athletes for wrongdoing in this matter. Our top priority is supporting our student-athletes and we are providing them with the appropriate services and resources.