ESPN has revisited the case of University of Missouri football player Derrick Washington to claim the University repeatedly violated federal law by not taking action against Washington or helping his victims. The University has responded quickly.

Columbia Chancellor R. Bowen Loftin says, basically, that was then and this is now. Washington did some prison time for deviant sexual assault but three other women accused him of assault and ESPN says the University did little or nothing about it. Washington was kicked off the football team in 2010.

ESPN says the university didn’t investigate his 2008 reported sexual assault, didn’t tell a tutor who was assaulted in 2010 about the previous allegations; and a coach discouraged a another victim from filing a charge. While he was out on bail for the second sexual assault incident, be beat his ex-girlfriend.

Loftin says a soccer player slugged by Washington as she fought with Washiugton’s girlfriend misunderstood what the coach told her.  He says he has talked to several people who say the coach was telling the woman her arrest for fighting could affect her scholarship but the woman apparently thought he was encouraging her to withdraw her complaint that Washington had hit her.

Loftin says the University system has launched a vigorous new system of dealing with sexual assault.  The new system already is investigating some sexual assault cases as well as some sexual discrimination cases.

AUDIO: Loftin conference call