US university cheerleading team banned for a year over hazing scandal

An US university cheerleading team has reportedly been banned from performing for a year after administrators heard that senior members of the team were hazing newcomers.

According to the New York Daily News, the entire cheerleading team of the Maryland-based Towson University will spend the next academic year sitting on the sidelines after the university's officials were given an anonymous tip that older members of the award-winning team were hazing newcomers.

The report mentioned that the team, called the TUCheers, won first place at the National Cheerleaders Association's collegiate championship in April 2013.

Confirming the punishment, Towson's vice-president of student affairs Jana Varwig said that it is important for students to understand that hazing is not tolerated on the campus, with officials adding that Towson has a zero-tolerance policy toward any kind of hazing.

Varwig further said that they wanted to steer clear of creating a power dynamic between students.

The report further said that the news would come as a big shock for the team, which was in high spirits after announcing that they had won a full scholarship to attend the next national championships.

However, some of the students thought that the ban was too severe, with one saying that only the culprits should be suspended, and the report added that the team is planning to appeal against the suspension within the next week.