The NCAA News - News and Features

June 23, 1997

Committee modifies findings involving soccer coach

The NCAA Committee on Infractions has found that there is insufficient credible evidence that a former men's soccer coach was involved in major violations of NCAA legislation in a recent infractions case involving Alabama A&M University, and has modified its July 1996 report in the case to reflect that finding.

The Committee on Infractions asked the NCAA enforcement staff to investigate coach Salah Yousif's involvement in the infractions case following a February 1997 decision by the NCAA Infractions Appeals Committee. The appeals committee determined that procedures followed by the institution and the enforcement staff raised substantial questions regarding the reliability of the record the Committee on Infractions used to support its July 1996 findings involving Yousif, and remanded the matter to the Committee on Infractions for further proceedings.

Because the findings involving Yousif were made as a result of the institution's admissions in its self-report to the NCAA, the Committee on Infractions requested February 27 that the enforcement staff investigate the former coach's involvement in the infractions case. The enforcement staff was asked to determine whether there was sufficient credible evidence to issue a letter of official inquiry regarding the former coach, without considering the institution's admissions.

The enforcement staff informed the Committee on Infractions April 17 that there was insufficient other evidence to continue consideration of this matter, and that references to the former coach's involvement in violations regarding extra benefits and lack of institutional control should be deleted from the report.

As a result, the Committee on Infractions determined that its report in the Alabama A&M infractions report should be modified and that references to Yousif should be deleted because there is not sufficient credible evidence to conclude the coach was involved in major violations of NCAA legislation. In addition, a penalty regarding the coach's employment at Alabama A&M has been deleted.

The committee's amendment to the Alabama A&M infractions report will be published in the July 7 issue of The NCAA News. The full amended infractions report is available on request from the Committee on Infractions at the national office.