On Sunday, Ohio State athletic director Gene Smith released a message in which he discussed a number of ways OSU student-athletes have organically and proactively engaged in social justice causes in recent years, including by creating awareness videos, participating in peaceful protests, and speaking out as individuals as part of the nationwide discussion over police brutality and systemic racism in recent weeks.
Smith ended his statement by confirming that the official position of the Ohio State athletic department is that Black lives matter. He said, “The Ohio State Department of Athletics supports the Black Lives Matter movement.