The NCAA News - News and Features

July 20, 1998

Player reprimanded for behavior

The NCAA Division I Men's Basketball Committee has issued a public reprimand to Stanford University student-athlete Arthur Lee for unsporting behavior during Stanford's game against the University of Rhode Island in the Midwest Regional final of the 1998 Division I Men's Basketball Championship.

The behavior involved what the committee termed an "inappropriate gesture" (commonly known as the "choke" sign) as a Rhode Island player shot (and missed) crucial free throws late in that game.

"Mr. Lee's action violated the principle of good sporting behavior that is expected of participants in intercollegiate athletics," said C.M. Newton, committee chair and director of athletics at the University of Kentucky. "The committee acknowledges and appreciates the otherwise exemplary behavior displayed by Mr. Lee during the championship and the prompt apology he offered after the game. But that does not moderate the fact that he made the gesture. With the emphasis on this issue that college presidents and the basketball committee have adopted, we felt we needed to take action to encourage all student-athletes to make good sporting behavior a high priority."