Police investigate after private photos, videos of Wisconsin volleyball players leaked
Madison, Wis. - University of Wisconsin police are investigating after private photos and videos of the school's women's volleyball team's national championship were shared publicly online.
The university's athletic department said in a statement that the players contacted campus police after learning the photos had become public.
"Unapproved sharing is a critical and unjustifiable intrusion of understudy competitor protection, including a possible infringement of college strategy and criminal regulation," the assertion said.
On Wednesday, the athletic department said the photos came from a team member's phone and were never intended for public viewing, the Wisconsin State Journal reported.
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Athletic department officials have not released details about the photos and videos, but the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel reported receiving a photo from a person who said it was one of the images in question. According to the paper, the photo appears to have been taken after the team won the Big Ten title last November.
In the photo, some members of the team can be seen posing with a sports bra.
Under Wisconsin state law, anyone who posts locker room photos of players online without their consent can be charged with a felony punishable by 3.5 years in prison and extended supervision, the Wisconsin State Journal reported. The person who took the photos faces up to nine months in prison if they were taken without the subject's consent.
According to the newspaper, it is a six-year offense if the people in the pictures are under 18 years old.
"The UWPD is not investigating the volleyball student-athletes for misconduct in this matter," the athletic department said in a statement. "Our top priority is to support our student-athletes and we provide them with the appropriate services and resources."
Most of the content has been removed from the website where it was posted, the Journal Sentinel reports.
University of Wisconsin police spokesman Mark Lovecott confirmed the investigation Thursday, The Associated Press reported.
According to the Wisconsin State Journal, the Badgers have played in the last three Final Fours and have been to the finals three times in the last decade. This year, the team (13-3, 7-1 Big Ten) is ranked No. 5 in the nation.
The team returns to action Friday night against Michigan State.
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Thanks for reading: Police investigate after private photos, videos of Wisconsin volleyball players leaked, Sorry, my English is bad:)