As many as 14 Westbrook High School athletes received disciplinary suspensions last week for violating the school’s code of conduct involving alcohol or drugs.

Westbrook High School Principal Marc Gousse said school administrators investigated claims by athletes, who told a coach that they had been present at an event where alcohol was being consumed.

Gousse said the athletes told the coach, and the school acted on the claims. The investigations resulted in the suspension from fall athletics of at least 10 students, according to Gousse.

“It’s been a tough week for us at the school,” said Gousse. “There are a number of kids who violated the code of conduct.”

Neither Gousse nor Westbrook Athletic Director Todd Sampson would identify which sports were affected by the suspensions, exactly how many students were involved or the nature of the infractions.

However, school board member Tim Crellin said 14 students were suspended from a variety of sports, including football, and that two of the students were suspended from athletics for the entire year.

According to Gousse, the school’s code of conduct mandates that a first offense be punished by a minimum of two weeks of suspension. The athlete may practice with the team after the first week but must miss at least one contest. The athlete is also required to have an evaluation with a substance abuse counselor to determine whether the student wants or needs help. Lastly, the athlete forfeits any leadership roles on the team and any awards he or she might receive during the season. For a second offense, the athlete is automatically suspended from athletics for a calendar year.

Crellin said the school’s investigation was carried out over four days by four administrators, but would likely continue. He said the suspended athletes provided the administrators with information on additional possible offenders of the code of conduct in other sports and activities.

Sampson said the school notified the parents of the students as part of the school policy, and the parents were supportive. He said the same of the students.

“I think the kids are looking for the adults to do the right thing here,” said Sampson. “I think they respect that.”

The suspensions this year come after seven members of the varsity boys basketball team were suspended from a playoff game in March of 2005. After the suspensions, the school board reviewed the district’s drug and alcohol policy and decided not to change it.

Both Sampson and Gousse spoke favorably of the school’s start to the fall athletic season, and said this incident was being handled and won’t damper the season.

“I think we need to put it into context,” said Gousse. “We had an event. We have athletes being held accountable. It doesn’t define our programs as a whole.”