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Dan Snyder issues statement on sexual harassment claims in organization: 'No place in our franchise'

Washington owner Dan Snyder says he’s committed to building a new culture within his NFL team. In a statement released Friday, Snyder responded to a report from the Washington Post in which 15 women said prominent members of the franchise sexually harassed and abused them.

In his statement, Snyder condemned that behavior, and said he wants to set “a new culture and standard for our team.”

Snyder was not accused of harassment in the Post’s article, though he oversaw a “hostile” work environment within the team. Three prominent members of the organization — Larry Michael, Alex Santos and Richard Mann II — were all named in the report. All three men left the team in July.

Prior to the Post’s article, Snyder announced the team hired attorney Beth Wilkinson to investigate the culture within the organization. Snyder said Wilkinson is “empowered to do a full, unbiased investigation and make any and all requisite recommendations.”

Snyder was allowed to hire his own investigator to look into the allegations. That hasn’t been the norm in the NFL. The league hired its own investigators to look into “bounty-gate” and “deflate-gate.”

The NFL also released a statement Friday, saying “everyone in the NFL has a right to work in an environment free from any and all forms of harassment.”

In that statement, the NFL signed off on Snyder hiring his own investigator. The league said it would meet with Wilkinson once the investigation is completed and “take any action based on the findings.”

In the wake of the Washington Post report, some have called for Snyder to sell the team. Snyder gave no indication he was considering that option in his statement Friday.

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