The NCAA Division I-AA Football Committee has issued institutional sanctions against Western Kentucky University and Western Illinois University for the teams' participation in an altercation at the end of the 2002 NCAA Division I-AA quarterfinal football game in Macomb, Illinois.

In December 2002, the committee reprimanded the individuals from each school who were involved in the incident, but withheld any decision about institutional sanctions until its January meeting.

Upon further review, the committee decided to issue the following institutional sanctions, effective immediately.

A public reprimand will be issued to both institutions.

Transportation and per diem distributions will be forfeited for each of the Western Kentucky individuals cited in the earlier sanctions.

Per diem distributions will be forfeited for each of the Western Illinois individuals cited in the earlier sanctions and the host honorarium also will be forfeited by Western Illinois.

Both institutions shall be monitored relative to team or individual behavior throughout the next NCAA Division I-AA Football Championship for which qualification or invitation is earned.

The committee also will monitor the actions of the two teams for the 2003 regular season and reserves the right to reconsider its sanctions and issue more stringent penalties if another incident of misconduct occurs during the 2003 regular season. This probationary period of monitoring will extend through the next championship in which either team participates.

The incident began during a postgame celebration that occurred after Western Kentucky defeated Western Illinois, 31-28. As a result, five members of the Western Kentucky football team and eight members of Western Illinois football team were suspended. In addition, seven student-athletes from Western Kentucky and six from Western Illinois received public reprimands. Also, one student-athlete from Western Kentucky was banished from further participation in any future Division I-AA championships.

"After reviewing the incident, the committee remained steadfast and united in the belief that such misconduct during an NCAA championship has a significant impact upon the image of the sport, the institutions, and the NCAA," said Joe Sterrett, chair of the committee and athletics director at Lehigh University. "It was the unanimous sentiment of the committee that each institution take active steps to ensure that this kind of incident never again occurs."