(Columbia) Aug. 10, 2005 - The University of South Carolina has announced that the Meredith Thompson Memorial Golf Tournament is unlikely to continue after the withdrawal of the support from the DEA.
USC spokesperson Russ McKinney made the statement after the South Carolina Drug Enforcement Administration made the decision to withdraw its partnership with USC tournament.
John Ozaluk, the agent in charge of the DEA offices in South Carolina, recently sent a letter to USC’s president Andrew Sorensen explaining that due to their recent policy changes on drug use they cannot have the DEA or Meredith Thompson’s name associated with them.
The new drug policy allows four positive tests, rather than two, before a player is kicked off a team.
In 1994, DEA agent Meredith Thompson was killed in a plane crash in Peru. She was on a recon mission trying to suppress cocaine. After her death, a golf tournament and scholarship was set up in her honor at her alma mater, USC.
Ozaluk also told WIS that the university is sending “mixed messages” on drug use. The DEA’s message is “don’t do drugs” and the university is sending a message of tolerance for drug use.
While it is their decision to do so, the DEA can not be associated with it.
Ozaluk stated it was an unfortunate decision and he hated to do it, but one he had to make.
Posted 5:26pm by Chantelle Janelle
