NCAA Bans 6 More College Basketball Players in Sports Betting Probe
NEW ORLEANS (AP) – The NCAA has banned six more college basketball players following an examination into sports betting irregularities, bringing the total number of penalized athletes to 10. The latest sanctions stem from an investigation into games at new Orleans and Mississippi Valley State, the NCAA announced Wednesday.
The penalties come as the NCAA grapples with the evolving landscape of sports gambling and recently delayed a vote allowing athletes to bet on professional sports.While betting on college sports remains prohibited for players and staff, the NCAA is considering broader guidelines as legalized sports betting expands nationwide.
The investigation revealed that New Orleans players were approached with offers to throw games. One student-athlete told investigators that a teammate, in addition to Sanders and Stredic, was also contacted about participating in a scheme to manipulate game outcomes for betting purposes. The athlete denied altering his performance or receiving money. Sanders allegedly texted the student-athlete after a game, instructing him to delete their messages.
During a second interview, Sanders could not explain the student-athlete’s account or the text messages.He did state that he and Stredic were offered money to intentionally underperform in the first half of their January 6th game by an anonymous caller.
the NCAA enforcement staff determined that Sanders knowingly provided information to a third party for sports betting purposes in two games, and Stredic did so in one game. The NCAA did not disclose the identities of the other four penalized athletes.
New Orleans and Mississippi Valley State did not respond to requests for comment.
The NCAA originally approved allowing student-athletes to bet on professional sports,set to take effect November 1st,but the Division I Board delayed the start date until November 22nd. A rarely used rule allows 30 days for each Division I school to vote to rescind the proposal if it wasn’t adopted by at least 75% of the Division I cabinet. even if the rule passes, betting on college sports remains prohibited for players.