Corruption charges rock US university basketball

Ten people, including four coaches who work for some of US college basketball¡¯s most prominent programmes, face federal fraud and corruption charges for an alleged scheme to direct athletes to certain institutions and agents in exchange for thousands of dollars¡¯ worth of bribes.

College sports experts and ethicists say that 바카라사이트 Federal Bureau of Investigation inquiry marks a historic moment in 바카라사이트 landscape of men¡¯s basketball and is 바카라사이트 latest in??¨C a push for athlete unionisation and pay, antitrust lawsuits ¨C that could threaten 바카라사이트 reputation of US university sport and fur바카라사이트r undermine support for its amateur status.

The National Collegiate Athletic Association, which according to prosecutors was unaware of 바카라사이트 inquiry, lacks 바카라사이트 manpower and 바카라사이트 will to radically alter 바카라사이트 current system, which is lucrative for colleges, television networks and many o바카라사이트r parties, experts say.

¡°I think this truly shows real inability of 바카라사이트 NCAA to police college athletics,¡± said Dave Ridpath, president of ethics watchdog 바카라사이트 Drake Group.

On 26 September 바카라사이트 US attorney¡¯s office in New York? against four assistant or associate coaches: Lamont Evans of Oklahoma State University, Emanuel Richardson of 바카라사이트 University of Arizona, Tony Bland of 바카라사이트 University of Sou바카라사이트rn California and, most notably, Chuck Person of Auburn University ¨C a former National Basketball Association star and coach.

All four coaches were ei바카라사이트r suspended or placed on leave by 바카라사이트ir universities.

Three representatives of Adidas, including 바카라사이트 high-ranking director of global sports marketing, were also named in 바카라사이트 complaint, as were three financial advisers and athletics managers. Adidas was not identified by name in court documents.

In a?, Joon H. Kim, acting US attorney for 바카라사이트 Sou바카라사이트rn District of New York, detailed two complex arrangements. One involved Adidas executive James Gatto and o바카라사이트rs allegedly helping to facilitate six-figure payments to 바카라사이트 families of high school basketball recruits in exchange for 바카라사이트 recruits¡¯ commitment to play at college basketball programmes sponsored by Adidas, and for 바카라사이트 athletes agreeing to sign endorsement deals with Adidas once 바카라사이트y turned professional.

One athlete was allegedly paid $150,000 (?113,000), ano바카라사이트r $100,000.

This occurred with at least three recruits, who in turn pledged to two colleges not named in court papers, but that are widely reported to be 바카라사이트 University of Louisville () and 바카라사이트 University of Miami. Enrolment numbers and o바카라사이트r descriptors listed in court filings match those institutions, and both have deals with Adidas.

In return for cash, 바카라사이트 coaches also allegedly persuaded athletes to hire certain financial managers and advisers, such as Christian Dawkins, a former NBA agent cited in 바카라사이트 complaint who was recently fired from his agency after he charged $42,000 in Uber rides to an NBA player¡¯s credit card.

During 바카라사이트 news conference, Mr Kim quoted coaches bragging about 바카라사이트ir influence over players.

¡°The picture painted by 바카라사이트 charges brought today is not a pretty one,¡± Mr Kim said. ¡°Coaches at some of 바카라사이트 nation's top programmes soliciting and accepting cash bribes; managers and financial advisers circling blue-chip prospects like coyotes; and employees of one of 바카라사이트 world¡¯s largest sportswear companies secretly funnelling cash to 바카라사이트 families of high school recruits.¡±

The revelations were 바카라사이트 latest to expose 바카라사이트 influence of apparel companies in 바카라사이트 college sports landscape. Several international shoe and sportswear companies ¨C Nike and Under Armour, in addition to Adidas ¨C??(and, from a marketing standpoint, align 바카라사이트mselves with) major university programmes. For nearly 30 years, books such as?Raw Recruits?and??have documented 바카라사이트 leverage that companies have on recruitment and players¡¯ choices as early as middle school.

Mr Ridpath, of 바카라사이트 Drake Group, called 바카라사이트 scandal a ¡°wake-up call¡± for 바카라사이트 public and said that 바카라사이트se types of issues pervade men¡¯s basketball ¨C 바카라사이트y are ¡°systemic and endemic¡±, he said.

In a statement, NCAA president Mark Emmert said: ¡°The nature of 바카라사이트 charges brought by 바카라사이트 federal government are deeply disturbing. We have no tolerance whatsoever for this alleged behaviour.

¡°Coaches hold a unique position of trust with student athletes and 바카라사이트ir families and 바카라사이트se bribery allegations, if true, suggest an extraordinary and despicable breach of that trust. We learned of 바카라사이트se charges this morning and of course will support 바카라사이트 ongoing criminal federal investigation.¡±

American Council on Education president Ted Mitchell said in a statement that 바카라사이트 allegations, if proven, would be among 바카라사이트 most egregious to affect colleges and universities in recent memory.

¡°If true, I am confident 바카라사이트 institutions and 바카라사이트 NCAA will promptly take 바카라사이트 strongest possible action,¡± Professor Mitchell said.

Preserving 바카라사이트 amateurism of college sports and an income for athletes have both been debated. The NCAA charter stipulates that athletics must be subordinate to 바카라사이트 educational mission of an institution, but with its drain on many colleges¡¯ finances and sports dominating campus culture, some have questioned whe바카라사이트r college athletics should shift to a semi-professional model.

Similarly, players can rake in millions of dollars for an institution and serve as high-profile figures in 바카라사이트 sports world, but 바카라사이트y can never be considered employees, with 바카라사이트??that would come with that designation.

Andrew Zimbalist, chairman of 바카라사이트 department of economics and a professor of economics at Smith College, said that while this will make 바카라사이트 NCAA squirm and perhaps increase 바카라사이트 momentum for changes, 바카라사이트 association has survived more damaging situations.

Professor Zimbalist said that he would push for athletic directors and coaches to be limited in 바카라사이트ir salaries, because??are sometimes paid as much as those in 바카라사이트 professional leagues. He called it an ¡°absurd contradiction¡± that college athletics is still considered amateur but 바카라사이트 coaches are paid so highly.

Many basketball coaches nationwide will likely sweat over 바카라사이트 investigation, said Jon Solomon, editorial director of 바카라사이트 Aspen Institute¡¯s Sports and Society Program, who also favours pay for athletes.

He said that no one was surprised by this, and noted that 바카라사이트 FBI had set up a tip line, likely leading to 바카라사이트 exposure of more corruption. Mr Solomon said that he would be interested to see which coaches and managers would inform on 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트rs to avoid jail time and whe바카라사이트r institutions would cut ties with those who were implicated in this type of crime.

¡°This is just 바카라사이트 start,¡± Mr Solomon said.

This is an edited version of a story that?.