The NCAA News - News and Features

July 21, 1997

Interpretations Committee minutes

Conference No. 4<
June 12, 1997

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

Outside Competition/
Tryouts/Professional Team

1. Outside Competition Associated with Professional Team Tryouts. An individual who is involved in a permissible tryout conducted by a single professional sports team or league may participate in a tournament that includes competition only among those participating in the tryouts (none of whom have otherwise professionalized themselves). Under such circumstances, the tournament is not considered to be outside competition and, thus, participation does not jeopardize the individual's eligibility in the applicable sport. [References: NCAA Bylaws 12.2.1.1 (tryout prior to enrollment), 12.2.1.2 (tryout after enrollment), 12.2.1.3 (outside competition prohibited), 14.7.1 (outside competition, sports other than basketball) and 14.7.2 (outside competition, basketball)]

Scheduling Contests/Compensation

2. Coaching Staff Member Receiving Participatory Gift. A coach may receive a participatory gift from the sponsor of an event similar to the gift awarded to student-athletes participating in the event, provided the gift meets the applicable awards limitation set forth in 16.1.4. [References: 11.3.2.9 (competition for scheduling contests/individual participation) and 16.1.4 (types of awards, awarding agencies, maximum value and numbers of awards)]

Weight-Gain Supplement

3. Institution Providing Weight-Gain Supplements to Student-Athletes During Summer. The committee reviewed the issue of whether it is permissible for institutions to provide weight-gain supplements free of charge to student-athletes during the summer vacation period and determined that it does not have the authority to issue an interpretation to permit such activity. The committee recommended that this issue and other issues related to expenses that may not be provided to student-athletes during the summer (e.g., medication and physical therapy) be referred to the NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports. The committee noted that the prohibition against providing weight-gain supplements during the summer does not preclude institutions from providing fluid/electrolytes replacements (e.g., Gatorade, Powerade) to student-athletes involved in voluntary workouts. [References: 16.3.2 (academic and other support services -- permissible) and 16.4.1 (medical expenses -- permissible)]