Beloved former Braves manager Bobby Cox was arrested in 1995 for allegedly punching his wife. When police arrived, Cox’s wife said, according to the police report, that “this has occurred many times before, but (she) never called the police because of possible media attention.” Seventeen hours later, Cox and his wife gave a press conference together claiming the police overreacted. That was enough for the press, the Braves and their fans. Five months later, Cox and the Braves won the World Series; 19 years later, Cox was in the Hall of Fame; 22 years later, he received his own statue outside SunTrust Park in Atlanta. It still stands there to this day, an inadvertent testament to the fact that Cox was too powerful to be touched.

It is sometimes difficult to find social progress in the world of sports, but it does happen, incrementally, if still inadequately. And you can see it in the case of Ohio State coach Urban Meyer, who was put on paid administrative leave by the university on Wednesday after reports that Meyer had known one of his coaches had abused his wife and that Meyer didn’t do enough to stop it. The ex-wife of one of his top assistant coaches (who Meyer fired earlier this year) said that she had told Meyer’s wife (who also works for the university) about the abuse while it was happening, contradicting Meyer’s earlier denials.

Meyer, one of the most powerful men in college football if not collegiate athletics, has not simply broken a bylaw. In a previous era, his power might insulate him. But in this era, he is complicit.

Not reporting domestic abuse is a Title IX offense at public universities. But Meyer, one of the most powerful men in college football if not collegiate athletics, has not simply broken a bylaw. In a previous era, his power might insulate him. But in this era, following the scandals at schools like Penn State and Michigan State (not to mention the wrestling controversy already roiling Ohio State), he is complicit. In this era, he must pay.

Good. If the allegations against Meyer are true, they should haunt his career forever. Because in 2018, 177 total wins and an 11-3 Bowl Game record should not shield someone who has in any way enabled or covered up domestic violence.

Elite athletics remains something of a boys’ club, and change has been slow. Despite ripples of violence in pretty much every professional sports league, there has not yet been a definitive #MeToo moment. As just one example, Aroldis Chapman — who served a 30-game suspension for an incident with his wife back in March 2016 — is once again closing games for the Yankees. (There are 162 games in the regular season.) Obviously, there is still a long way to go.