In the wake of the 15 year long child abuse charges on Jerry Sandusky, the Syracuse University is facing similar issues related to the mental game of basketball wherein Bernie Fine has been accused of child abuse by two brothers namely Bobby Davis and Mike Lang. Two former basketball players, Bobby Davis and his stepbrother, Mike Lang, have said they were molested more than 25 years ago by Fine which affected their mental stability. Fine has been sent on paid administrative leave from the university due to the furor regarding the issue.

Fine has denied all such charges and is supported by Head coach at Syracuse, Jim Boeheim. They claim that the charges are fabricated especially after the Penn State child abuse scandal.

Bobby Davis, aged 39, has made the allegation that Fine molested him from 1984 until he was 27 at basketball facilities and camps and road trips. Mike Lang also leveled accusation of molestation against Fine.

Police has started its investigation on the matter and had organized a recent search operation at Fine’s residence and are appealing for information about any past or recent sex abuse cases involving Bernie Fine. The truth about the accusations are still under scrutiny and if proved right would be an alarming addition to the act of perversion.

Child abuse is a heinous crime and its occurrence in an educational institution is a shocking revelation which causes psychological effects on the players. Such incidents can hamper the sport of basketball, and the healthy growth of athletes. Though instances of child abuse have come down in the recent years such egregious acts of grave misconduct are an alarming phenomena.

The strict judiciary action and strong media coverage has brought issues of child abuse to the forefront and enabled speedy justice. A strong legal penalizing act has acted as a positive factor in reporting of child abuse. However child abuse is a seriously deprecating and pervert act of which can spoil a athletes’ mental health.

In most cases, child abuse cases are avoided from being reported due to obvious sense of shame and hesitation. Negligence from authorities observed in the Penn State case can also be reasons for covering up of these issues which has massively affected the basketball psychology of the people.

Athletes facing abuse face the adverse risk of experiencing psychological troubles in future life and can experience various disturbing dissociative symptoms like anxiety and depression which can impair their mental game of basketball. The emotional stress endured by the young mind can have a distressing effect on their basketball psychology and ruin their mental game in basketball.

With proper care, mental game coaching and healthy environment the athletes are expected to regain confidence, self-esteem and the basketball mental toughness necessary to reach peak performance.