Lawsuit filed challenging NCAA’s Division I transfer rules

A Seattle-based law firm is filing a lawsuit against the NCAA challenging the Division I transfer rules for football players, reportsUSA Today.

Currently, players who transfer while they are an undergraduate at a Division I school can not transfer to another Division I school without losing a year of eligibility. The lawsuit was filed on the behalf of punter Peter Deppe, who attempted transferring from Northern Illinois to Iowa.

According to the suit, Deppe was accepted academically by Iowa, but the Hawkeyes did not acquire a waiver that would have allowed Deppe to play immediately. The NCAA allegedly would not consider a waiver a request from Deppe.

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“The NCAA’s limitation on the mobility of college athletes is patently unlawful,” the suit reads. “For a striking contrast, one can simply examine the unfettered mobility of the players’ coaches. Football coaches, including assistant coaches, are free to leave a school at any time they choose to take another job in the college or professional football ranks.”

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NCAA legal officer Donald Remy responded to the allegations, saying in a statement the lawsuit “should be dismissed.”

[USA Today]

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