INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. — The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Cabinet finalized the penalty process for cases in which schools circumvent transfer rules and add a transfer student-athlete who did not enter the Transfer Portal to their roster, sign them to a revenue sharing agreement or permit them to practice or compete.
On April 1, the Cabinet adopted a recommendation from the Football Bowl Subdivision Oversight Committee to automatically penalize schools for circumventing transfer rules and adding to rosters or playing “ghost transfers.” The penalties — which apply to all sports, include a suspension of the team’s head coach for 50% of the season and a fine equivalent to 20% of that sport’s annual budget — are triggered automatically and expected to be self-applied by the schools.
If a school does not notify the NCAA within 15 days of its intent to self-apply those penalties, the enforcement staff will provide written notice of the potential violation to the school, along with a date by which the school must provide evidence demonstrating that a violation did not occur. Consequences for failing to self-impose the legislated penalties include an additional 10% suspension for the head coach and an additional 5% fine.
The Cabinet also determined that the NCAA national office may provide notice to the membership when a school self-imposes penalties or fails to impose penalties and the legislated process for appealing should be available following the Committee on Infractions’ decision to apply the additional penalties.
Further, at the recommendation of the Men’s and Women’s Basketball Oversight Committees, the Cabinet approved a change allowing teams to complete a foreign tour annually, rather than once every four years, and expanded the proposed rule change to apply in all sports. The change is effective immediately.
Release courtesy National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
