The NCAA News - News and Features

May 5, 1997

Interpretations Committee minutes

Conference No. 2
March 13, 1997

Acting for the NCAA Council, the committee issued the following interpretations:

Gambling

1. Gambling on Professional Sports Contests. The prohibition against student-athletes and athletics department staff members participating in gambling activities associated with professional sports events is applicable only to those sports in which the Association conducts championship competition, Division I-A football and emerging sports. [Reference: NCAA Bylaw 10.3 (gambling activities)]

Transfers

2. Transfers -- Sitting With Team During a Contest (Divisions I, II and III). A transfer student-athlete who is fulfilling a residence requirement may sit with the institution's team (e.g., on the bench, in the dugout, on the sidelines) during a contest in which the member institution's team participates but is not permitted to dress in uniform for the contest. [Note: Such a student-athlete may not receive expenses in conjunction with away-from-home contests.] [References: 14.02.6 (intercollegiate competition); 14.5.1 (residence requirement -- general principle); 16.8.1 (expenses provided by the institution for practice and competition -- permissible); and IC 9/26/96, Item No. 2]

Outside Competition

3. Involvement of Coaching Staff Member With Outside Team (Divisions I, II and III). A member institution's coaching staff member may be involved with an outside team that includes student-athletes with eligibility remaining from the coach's institution who participate in a sport other than the coach's sport. [Reference: 17.__.8.1.4.1 (involvement of coaching staff)]

Recruiting/Advertisements/Interview

4. Coach Providing an Interview to a Recruiting Publication (Divisions I, II and III). An institutional coaching staff member may not provide an interview for an article that will appear in a recruiting publication or newsletter. [Reference: 13.4.5.1 (recruiting advertisements)]

1997 NCAA Convention Proposal No. 109

5. Issues Related to Official Visits -- Transportation (Division I). The committee reviewed the provisions of Proposal No. 109 and determined the following:

a. A coach who makes an in-person, off-campus contact (i.e., any dialogue in excess of an exchange of a greeting) with a prospect (or the prospect's parents) during a permissible contact period prior to transporting the prospect to campus for an official visit is charged with a countable contact. The 48-hour period of the official visit is initiated when the coach begins transporting the prospect to campus.

b. An institution may arrange for a prospect making an official visit to travel by air for a portion of the trip to campus and allow an authorized coaching staff member to accompany the prospect during the remaining portion by automobile, provided the 48-hour period begins when the coach first makes contact with the prospect at the airport (which is not the nearest major airport to the institution's campus). The committee noted, however, that the principles set forth in 13.6.2.4 remain applicable; thus, if an institution's athletics department staff member provides transportation to a prospect to campus from the bus or train station or major airport nearest the campus, the 48-hour period does not begin until the prospect arrives on campus.

[References: Proposal No. 109, 13.6.2.2.3 (coach accompanying prospect), 13.6.2.4 (from airport) and 13.7.2.1 (48-hour period defined)]