Two Brandeis swimmers were suspended at the NCAA championships last weekend for "violating team rules," according to a University press release. Coach James Zotz pulled Chris Pai '07 and Leon Rosefigura '07 from the tournament, leaving veteran Matt Christian '05 as the sole Brandeis swimmer at the event at Hope College in Holland, Mich.Though the specifics of Rosefigura and Pai's suspension have not been made public, Christian said that he was in his hotel room on Thursday night when he smelled marijuana coming through the bathroom vent that connected to Pai and Rosefigura's room. Christian alerted Zotz, who immediately suspended the two from the meet.

The two had already swam in the opening day of competition, but were kept out of the meet on Friday before being sent home early on Saturday.

"They've made some real bad decisions during this past year," Zotz said. "I think they're finally cognizant of the decisions they've made and how they've affected the team."

"It's disappointing," Pai said. "The whole reason I was there was to compete, and not being able to compete was bad for the school and bad for me."

Pai said he was also disappointed that Christian intervened in the situation.

"I would expect more from a teammate, but I do understand where he's coming from," Pai said. "I feel that teammates shouldn't turn in other teammates, but I don't blame him."

Rosefigura, as well as the team's captains, declined to comment on the incident.

University disciplinary action is still pending, but the incident put Rosefigura and Pai's future with the team in question while also bringing to light significant conflicts that have plagued the team this season.

It is very unlikely that the two will swim with the Judges next season, and Pai says his return at any time is doubtful.

"I don't want to swim anymore, not at Brandeis at least," Pai said. "I think it'd just be best for the team. I know we haven't really gotten along and I just think that would be the best thing. I don't think the team always appreciated me the way they should."

Christian thinks their departure would ultimately benefit the team.

"The two of them being there was an honor, and they threw that honor down the drain," Christian said. "It just proves that they just didn't care. They didn't want to be there."

Pai has been one the Judges' elite swimmers since coming to Brandeis, but both his and Rosefigura's short time on the team has been marred by personal conflicts and disciplinary problems.

Pai and Rosefigura have been involved in multiple physical confrontations with other students, including several baseball players, and have faced disciplinary action for drug and alcohol violations on several occasions, according to Christian and other swimmers.

But equally concerning for some team members is a perceived lack of respect for the rest of the team by Pai and Rosefigura.

Christian says that their disciplinary problems extended to the rest of the team, and blames them for fostering a destructive atmosphere.

"From the beginning, their attitudes were impossible to deal with," Christian said. "They had no respect for authority. Unfortunately, the two of them were like an infectious disease. Once they infected other people and got people to come to their side and see their distorted image of everything, they started turning people against the team."

Christian pointed to this season as an example, citing times on road trips when the two convinced other swimmers to go out drinking in violation of an agreement the entire team made pledging not to drink from the start of the season until the UAA championships.

Zotz, meanwhile, has maintained support for his players, while also expressing a desire to move forward in a constructive manner.

"I've not given up on them as individuals," Zotz said. "I remain confident that they'll turn things around for themselves."

Zotz has been unflappable in his support for Pai and Rosefigura and his desire to protect their privacy, but he acknowledges the rift in the team.

"It's been a tough year for the men's team and there are issues within the team that are still not resolved," Zotz said. "But we're moving forward in a positive direction.