NCAA Sues Ohio Governor Over Executive Order on College Athlete Eligibility

The NCAA has filed a lawsuit against Ohio Governor Mike DeWine, challenging his executive order that would permit state universities to allow college athletes from the Class of 2022 to compete for a fifth season. The order defies a recent NCAA eligibility rule that excludes these athletes.

NCAA President Charlie Baker called the legal action an "extraordinary step" aimed at preventing Ohio from creating an uneven playing field for all schools. The lawsuit, filed in federal court in Ohio, accuses Governor DeWine of attempting to grant Ohio athletes "a hall pass" from adhering to NCAA regulations.

The dispute marks the latest development in a series of legal challenges that are increasingly altering college sports rules on a state-by-state basis. The NCAA has long urged Congress to pass federal legislation to mitigate such lawsuits, which impact athletes nationwide. The Senate has passed the Protect College Sports Act, but its future in the House remains uncertain.

The NCAA's filing argues that DeWine's order attempts to give Ohio institutions an "unfair, unprecedented and unwarranted competitive advantage." The organization contends that college sports, like all sports, rely on participants following the rules, and that DeWine's action encourages a breach of those rules.

The Ohio Supreme Court has agreed to review the legality of the executive order. Previously, an appeals court ruling had declared the Class of '22 athletes ineligible. The state's Supreme Court has paused that ruling and requested briefs from both parties. Baker stated that the NCAA does not believe the Supreme Court's order has made these players immediately eligible.

This legal confrontation comes as other court rulings across the country are reshaping eligibility guidelines for college athletes. The situation impacts football players and basketball players whose participation in the upcoming season is in question.

Lieutenant Governor Jim Tressel, a former championship-winning coach, has expressed support for the governor's order. Ohio's Division I athletic programs, including Ohio State University, the University of Cincinnati, and several Mid-American Conference members, have not yet issued public statements regarding the executive order. The NCAA has a history of legal action against state officials, having previously prevailed in a case against former Nevada Governor Bob Miller in the early 1990s concerning due-process protections.