Ivy League eligibility

Ivy League athletic conference rules hold league athletes to a "higher standard" than other NCAA athletes around the country. This standard takes the form of more stringent rules on the number of weeks allotted for practices, amateur status, endorsements and academic qualifications for athletes. While it is difficult to argue that the sentiment behind these rules, the Ivy League's goal of upholding academic excellence, is anything but laudable, not all of the rules work toward this goal.

In the case of Olympian speed skater Joey Cheek '11, it is difficult to see how Ivy League rules have promoted these goals. Cheek was prohibited by the Ivy League from participating on Princeton's varsity sprint football team as a result of his previous endorsements and his maintaining an agent for paid speaking engagements based on his career as an Olympic medalist. Though Cheek was willing to give up his endorsements in order to play sprint football, he was still barred from the activity on the basis of this trail of money and professionalism in an entirely different sport. This Ivy League rule does little to promote academic excellence; it would be far less discriminatory if it resembled the NCAA rule, which prohibits athletes from participating only in those sports in which they have received professional compensation. The Ivy League could even change the rule so as to allow the league discretion to target situations in which professionalism in one sport would result in unfair participation in another, such as the overlap between sports like tennis and squash.

Despite the perceived unfairness of this rule, what is more striking is the lack of an appeals process within the Ivy League. Whereas with the NCAA, judgments on amateurism and participation can be appealed and argued, Cheek was not given sufficient avenues of redress. A comprehensive appeals process is needed within the Ivy League, especially in light of its more stringent regulations.

As the Ivy League reviews its rules and practices over the next few years, rules like the one that eliminated Cheek's chances of participating in sprint football should be revised. College is a time to explore new horizons, both academic and extracurricular. It is highly unfortunate that the technicalities of league athletic rules have stemmed a student's ability to try new things within the University.