Written by Michael McCann at SI.com
The NCAA has faced significant legal challenges in recent years over its system of “amateurism,” which, broadly defined, refers to rules that attempt to define college athletes as not professional. Amateurism prohibits college athletes from receiving gifts upon threat of athletes losing scholarships and schools facing various sanctions. Amateurism has drawn sharp rebuke from those who see a contradiction between the treatment of college athletes as unpaid labor and the very different approach to college coaches, apparel companies and others who profit considerably.
Highlighted by Ed O’Bannon’s recent court victory in his case over the unlicensed use of players’ names, images and likenesses, these legal challenges have led to improved benefits for NCAA athletes.
Yet amateurism lives on. And the NCAA and its member schools and conferences continue to generate massive revenue.
For now, at least.
On Tuesday, amateurism entered the crosshairs of multiple federal prosecutions. Ten individuals with deep ties to “big time” college sports have been arrested in three related cases that could rock the foundations of college sports.
First, the Justice Department and FBI revealed an 11-count bribery and fraud complaint in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. The complaint contains claims against three college basketball coaches, Oklahoma State assistant Lamont Evans, Emanuel “Book” Richardson of Arizona and USC assistant Tony Bland. Christian Dawkins, a sports management executive, and Munish Sood, a registered investment advisor, are named as the fourth and fifth co-defendants in the case.
Meanwhile, Adidas director of global marketing James Gatto, basketball organizer Merl Code and AAU basketball organizer Jonathan Augustine are charged in a related case involving substantial cash payments to families of high school basketball players. Those payments were designed to convince the players to attend particular universities and favor certain apparel companies. Media reports indicate one such player is Brian Bowen, a Louisville recruit. Dawkins and Sood are also named co-defendants in the Gatto case. Complicating things further, Auburn University associate head coach and former NBA rookie of the year Chuck Person and clothing executive Rashan Michel are separately charged for allegedly plotting to direct college players to use Michel’s clothing service.
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