NCAA Sues Ohio Governor Over Controversial Eligibility Rule
NCAA files federal lawsuit against Ohio governor over executive order allowing fifth year for 2022 athletes.
2 min read
The NCAA has filed a federal lawsuit against Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, challenging his executive order that allows state universities to permit athletes who graduated from high school in 2022 to play a fifth year, despite the NCAA’s new eligibility rules. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Ohio, marks a significant legal battle over the interpretation of college sports regulations.
DeWine signed the executive order three days before the lawsuit was filed, giving Ohio’s public and private universities the option to allow the Class of ’22 athletes to compete, even though the NCAA’s new guidance excludes those who have already played four seasons. The rule, passed in June, is the subject of multiple court fights, with the NCAA arguing that it creates an unfair competitive advantage for Ohio institutions.
NCAA President Charlie Baker described the lawsuit as an “extraordinary step” to prevent DeWine from taking a step that would make it “impossible for all schools to compete on a level playing field.” The lawsuit’s introduction states that the move is a “misguided attempt” to give Ohio colleges an “unprecedented and unwarranted competitive advantage,” and that “college sports, like all sports, depend on participants following the rules.”
DeWine’s executive order is the latest in a series of legal maneuvers that are creating new rules on a state-by-state basis. In response, the Ohio Supreme Court has stepped in to determine the legality of the order, pausing an appeals court ruling that had previously declared the 2022 athletes ineligible. The court has asked both sides to file briefs in the case, with basketball player Filip Borovićanin as the lead plaintiff, by next Monday.
Baker emphasized that the NCAA does not believe the Supreme Court’s order has declared the players immediately eligible and that the organization will submit arguments in the case by Monday. The ongoing legal battle highlights the growing tensions between state authorities and national governing bodies over the rules of collegiate athletics.
Source: OANN
