Soccer coach set to be fired after 'watching student be sodomized by fellow players then congratulating victim' during hazing



Michael Divincenzo unanimously voted against by school board

Three freshman players allegedly sexually assaulted by teammates at Maine West High School in Des Plaines, Illinois

Ousted: Football coach Michael Divincenzo allegedly failed to stop hazing in his presence at Maine West High School

A soccer coach is set to be fired after he allegedly witnessed a teenage boy being sodomized by teammates then congratulated the victim, asking 'if it was all good'.

The school board in Maine Township voted against reinstating Michael Divincenzo at Maine West High on Wednesday.

School board President Sean Sullivan said Divincenzo violated district policy 'by failing to adequately prevent, recognize, report and punish student hazing'.

The school board reached the unanimous decision after a closed session.

At the same time on Wednesday, school alumni and current members of the sports teams got together at a public meeting in a show of support for the coaches.



Divincenzo has 17 days to request a hearing on the board's decisions.



During an incident in July, Divincenzo, known to students as 'Divo', reportedly told older players to assault freshmen.



The claim came to light after three boys were allegedly sexually assaulted in a hazing ritual at Maine West High School in Des Plaines, Illinois on September 27.

It has been alleged that three boys were shoved to the ground and beaten by the older members of the varsity team.



The players then held them down, pulled down their pants, tore off their underwear and sodomized each of them.

The coaches supported the hazing ritual, by ordering a 'campus run' after the three freshman made the senior team, the Daily Herald reported.



Three other coaches have also been fired. A Des Plaines police investigation of the incident led to six students being sent to juvenile court to face hazing charges. The school district said it has disciplined ten students.



Antonio Romanucci, the attorney who filed a lawsuit on behalf of three students and their parents, said the hazing practice has taken place at the school for the last four years.



'That behavior, in today's society, is disgusting,' he said. 'It should never be condoned. It should never have happened.'

The school is investigating this year's assault allegations and another in 2008 involving a teenage baseball player at Maine West.