Freshmen recruited to the men's Lacrosse team of Cornell University were forced to compete in a beer-drinking competition by seniors, to a point where some of them vomited.

This incident prompted the university officials to initiate an investigation on the allegations which eventually proved that the seniors were indeed involved in hazing freshman players.

As a result, the officials banned the entire Big Red lacrosse team from participating in any competition of the fall season, including exhibition games.

According to a report posted on Cornell's hazing website, freshmen were asked to carry out tedious tasks and other duties for upperclassmen. The team members also organized a party that included a 'keg race,' were freshman were forced to stand in a circle and drink large amounts of beer to the point where 'multiple members vomited.'

"They were expected to spend a large amount of time with the other members in both lacrosse-related and social situations planned by upperclass members of the team," the report said.

"It's a team-wide penalty for a team-wide incident," John Carberry, a Cornell spokesman, said. "It involved coerced alcohol consumption by underage freshmen."

During the ban period, the members will have to undergo anti-hazing education programs. Despite the cancellation of the program, the players will be allowed to practice and train.

Cornell University does not tolerate any kind of hazing within the campus. They strictly adhere to their zero-tolerance policy to ragging, ever since the 2011 death of a student, George Desdunes, a Cornell fraternity member who succumbed to injuries after being tied up with duct tape and forced to drink alcohol.

Since Desdunes' death, David Skorton, the University President has promised to, 'end hazing as we know it.'

So far, the university has suspended at least four fraternities for hazing. They even maintain a website that lists hazing-related incidents on campus. Hence, the officials urge the campus community to report any kind of hazing incidents.

"Hazing practices are harmful and antithetical to our values as a university and our commitment to student athletes," Andy Noel, Cornell's athletic director, said. "They have no place in Cornell University athletics. I am particularly concerned with coercive traditions that abuse the power differential between new students and upperclassmen."

Topics Cornell, Lacrosse, Beer, Cornell University, Suspension, Team, Fall, Season, Alcohol