The NCAA issued a statement concerning troubling allegations involving athletes from schools under its umbrella. For better or worse, the NCAA is the driving force in collegiate athletics.
As such, the organization possesses a healthy amount of rules and guidelines that dictate how it wishes the member schools and their athletes to conduct themselves. While some characterize it as overreach, others feel as though, by trying to police various aspects, the governing body attempts to further athletics.
Who Are the Six NCAA Schools Whose Athletes Are Linked to Gambling?
In a quiet but profound move, the NCAA named six of its member schools whose athletes had gambling interests. The organization elaborated further in a statement.
“While several schools have been identified in media reporting, ongoing cases include student-athletes formerly associated with Eastern Michigan, Temple, Arizona State, New Orleans, North Carolina A&T, and Mississippi Valley. Additional cases are in various stages of the investigation process.
As with the previously resolved cases, the schools and respective school staffs in the ongoing cases are not alleged to have been involved in the violations by student-athletes, and the enforcement staff is not seeking penalties for the schools themselves for the student-athletes’ conduct.
Usually, this quote follows some sort of deeper report with context. However, as the quote stated, each case has not arrived at the same point. Under those circumstances, thorough findings may take a while.
Furthermore, the NCAA explained its thought regarding penalties facing the schools.
“As with the previously resolved cases, the schools and respective school staffs in the ongoing cases are not alleged to have been involved in the violations by student-athletes, and the enforcement staff is not seeking penalties for the schools themselves for the student-athletes’ conduct.”
Basically, they will hold the athlete and not the institution culpable.
Now, while the quote named specific schools, it failed to name particular acts. For example, daily fantasy sports like FanDuel or DraftKings would also fall under this umbrella. Additionally, something that this link could be is the use of sportsbooks.
A sportsbook is a facility that allows people to bet on games from an array of sports. Often associated with casinos, they are occasionally seen as a temptation. Now, while those elements are legal in the states that allow them, various avenues are not illegal anywhere.
A bookie is a person who takes bets, usually involving higher amounts of money. Bookmaking, in gambling parlance, is highly illegal. In addition, despite the numerous legal gambling arms, these people still exist. This is where crimes like point shaving can take place. Throughout college basketball history, point shaving has occurred at various times, leaving the game with a sullied reputation.
Point shaving is an event in which a player takes money from a bettor to influence their game. If a player’s team is expected to win by 10 points, shaving could see a player miss an inordinate number of shots to keep the game under those ten points. College basketball has witnessed multiple incidents involving its athletes and point shaving.
The NCAA, fully cognizant of history, understands that in order to maintain what it believes is a sterling reputation, it cannot associate itself with illegal gambling. What message does the NCAA hope to send to its member institutions with this statement and the subsequent ruling?
