Colorado Suspends 15 Athletes

Former Big Eight freshman of the year Chauncey Billups was one of two Colorado basketball players suspended for misusing university telephone calling cards.

Billups, a guard, and Howard Frier, a junior guard, will be suspended for three of Colorado’s first six games, said athletic director Dick Tharp. The suspensions must be served in consecutive games.

Former basketball team member Leroy Carter also was involved in the misuse, but he has been suspended from the team for other reasons.

Twelve Colorado football players were suspended for calling-card misuse before Saturday’s game against Oklahoma. Six missed that game; three will sit out this Saturday’s game at Kansas; and three were suspended for both games.

The football and basketball players were suspended for making unauthorized long-distance calls with university calling cards. Players have told investigators that access codes were copied from the cards or memorized while watching faculty members use them.