Briefly: Iowa suspends strength coach Chris Doyle amid racism charges by former players

Iowa football strength and conditioning coach Chris Doyle has been placed on administrative leave after several black former players posted on social media about what they described as systemic racism in the program.

Head coach Kirk Ferentz made the announcement Saturday night on Twitter, calling it "a defining moment" for Iowa's football program.

"Over the past 24 hours, I have seen some difficult and heartbreaking posts on social media," Ferentz said. "I appreciate the former players' candor and have been reaching out to many of them individually to hear more about their experiences in our program. …

"This is a process that will take some time, but change begins by listening first."

Dozens of former players addressed the matter.

"There are too many racial disparities in the Iowa football program," Chicago Bears guard James Daniels wrote Friday night on Twitter.

Former lineman Faith Ekakitie defended Ferentz — "He cares, and he gets it," he said — but said, "Real change begins with @coach Doyle and his Strength & Conditioning staff."

IndyCar packed every bit of its delayed season-opening event into one long, hot day in Texas without any fans in the stands. Scott Dixon made the best day of it.

Dixon, a five-time IndyCar champion, won at Texas Motor Speedway in Fort Worth. The 39-year-old New Zealander raced to his 47th victory and matched A.J. Foyt's record of 18 seasons with a win.

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