Ohio St. president: NCAA investigators left campus

[June 10, 2011]  COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) -- NCAA investigators left campus a week ago following their review of reports about Ohio State players selling or trading memorabilia for cash and tattoos, university president Gordon Gee said Thursday.

Revelations about the tattoo deals ultimately led to football coach Jim Tressel's resignation under pressure on Memorial Day. The NCAA also is investigating whether players received preferential treatment when buying cars.

Gee also confirmed that, despite leaving the university, Tressel would still pay a $250,000 fine for breaking NCAA rules.

"He will pay the fine," Gee said. University spokeswoman Shelly Hoffman added that details of the payment were still being worked out.

Gee said NCAA investigators talked to individuals but wouldn't comment on who was interviewed or what other action was taken.

"We can't report on who they've talked to and what they've done, because that is an NCAA investigation," Gee said at an on-campus event.

Ohio State will go before the NCAA's committee on infractions on Aug. 12.

Gee, in his second stint as head of Ohio State, one of the country's largest universities, said he is now focused on Sunday's graduation, which the university says will be Ohio State's largest spring commencement ever, with nearly 9,700 diplomas awarded.

U.S. House Speaker John Boehner, a native of southwest Ohio, is the commencement speaker.

[Associated Press; By ANDREW WELSH-HUGGINS]

Andrew Welsh-Huggins can be reached at http://twitter.com/awhcolumbus.

Copyright 2011 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.