Penn State for Health ex-football coach Joe Paterno, who was released in November last year due to child sexual abuse scandal, assistant coach and his condition seriously deteriorated, spokesman for the family on Saturday.

"In the past few days, Joe Paterno has also experienced health problems. Doctors today characterized his condition as serious," the statement.



Family said Paterno would not comment on the situation and asked his privacy be respected "in this difficult time."

Paterno, 85, 18 and published November that lung cancer is treated. He was in and out of hospitals, the treatment with radiation and chemotherapy, and after returning home in December and broke his pelvis.

Winningest coach in major college football history, Paterno has been a coach at Penn State for 46 years. University administrators sent him to tell the police what had passed to him for alleged sexual abuse.

Longtime assistant Jerry Sandusky Paterno faces 52 charges of sexual abuse of boys more than 15 years, including some events in the football complex on campus. Disclosure of charges against Sandusky shocked the university and lead to one of the biggest scandals in college sports history.

Testified Penn State graduate assistant to the grand jury that Paterno said in 2002 that he witnessed attacks Sandusky boy in the showers in the building of soccer. Paterno said he was giving information to his boss, athletic director Tim Curley at that time. But nobody told the police, and the abuse lasted for years, according to prosecutors.

University administrators Paterno refused to November 9, four games left in the football season. A release trigger demonstrations of students who felt that he was treated unjustly, and anger among some alumni. The top two officers of the University Board resigned this week.

University president Graham Spanier was released along with Paterno and Curley financial officer and former athletic department is facing charges of lying to a grand jury about the alleged abuse.

Sandusky was under house arrest awaiting trial on charges of abuse. He pleaded not guilty.