Denver ? In a blistering report that stopped short of calling for firings, an investigative panel said Tuesday that sex, alcohol and drugs were used to lure football recruits to the University of Colorado, and lax oversight by top university officials was to blame.

The panel’s report said there was no evidence officials condoned misconduct, but it suggested they were lazy or simply ignored what was going on in the top athletic program at the state’s flagship university.

“The university’s leadership must be held accountable for systemic failings that jeopardized students’ safety and allowed for ongoing misconduct in the football recruiting program,” the report said.

Members of the eight-person panel said their investigation simply had confirmed that collegiate athletics nationwide were undermined by a “hyper-competitive recruiting ‘arms race’ that was complicated by the presence of big money, lucrative media and easy access to alcohol and sex.”

At Colorado, the panel said, some player-hosts “felt pressured to impress recruits and resorted to providing alcohol, drugs and sex, including visits to strip clubs and the hiring of strippers.” The report did not detail the alleged drug use.

The 50-page report from the Board of Regents panel had been eagerly awaited in part because the future of suspended football coach Gary Barnett depended in part on its conclusions.

The report said Barnett and his staff failed to provide sufficient oversight of football recruits and he personally did not follow protocol following reports of sexual assault or harassment at least twice.

The report also singled out athletic director Dick Tharp and Chancellor Richard Byyny for criticism, suggesting both failed to pay proper attention to what was going on.

The panel did not call for job changes, but said university President Betsy Hoffman must decide whether all three men were capable of changing the culture, structure and reporting systems at the Boulder school.

It also called on the regents to decide whether Hoffman herself can restore the university’s “integrity and reputation” after a scandal that drew national scorn and criticism from Gov. Bill Owens.

“As the university’s chief administrator, Hoffman failed to exercise sufficient oversight until pressured by the governor and lawmakers,” the report said.

University spokeswoman Michele Ames said no one at the school would comment on the report, which will be discussed by the regents at a public meeting today.

Barnett said the scandal had been hard on his family.

“I’m not sure of the word I’d use to explain how I feel,” he told the Associated Press. “I’m not relieved, because I didn’t expect them to find anything. I’m not happy because I didn’t want to go through this process. Vindication is probably the best word.”

Barnett’s agent, Gary O’Hagan, said the scandal reminded him of the Salem witch trials.

“There are people who owe Gary Barnett an apology,” he said. “His entire family and he were dragged through the mud needlessly because people have an agenda out there.

“Is he perfect? No,” O’Hagan said. “Did he commit any crimes? No. Did he break any rules? No.”

Regent Jim Martin said he was concerned the report would be turned over to Hoffman and that would be the end of it. He declined to say if people should lose their jobs, adding that he’s “not on a witch hunt.”

“Gary Barnett ought not to be the fall person for anybody. This is a culture problem,” Martin said.