A five-time Olympian has raised concerns that the proposed Protect College Sports Act (PCSA) could jeopardize athlete protections, undermine Title IX, and negatively impact fairness in women's sports.
Katie Uhlaender, a decorated Olympian, argues that the act, which would grant the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) an antitrust exemption, is being marketed as a way to protect college sports but could instead harm athletes by giving the NCAA excessive control.
"Without athletes, there is no sport," Uhlaender stated. "Giving absolute power to a centralized institution feels more like an economic cartel than fair competition. And it will be the athletes who pay the price."
Uhlaender's criticisms center on the potential for the NCAA to wield unchecked authority over athlete eligibility and competition rules. She points to past instances of institutional failures to protect athletes, including the Larry Nassar scandal and issues with international sports federations, as evidence that the NCAA has not demonstrated the capacity for effective self-regulation. The act, she contends, would strip athletes of their ability to challenge NCAA policies and potentially weaken enforcement of anti-abuse measures.
"The NCAA can now determine eligibility rules with no accountability, no oversight on compliance, and no input from the states or athletes," Uhlaender wrote. "This means current abuse goes unpunished, and that the NCAA can also allow men to compete in women’s sports again."
She highlighted concerns regarding the NCAA's current policies on gender and sex, noting that they do not require verification beyond a birth certificate, which can be amended in many states. This, she argues, could allow male athletes to compete in women's sports, impacting opportunities for biological women.
Uhlaender also expressed skepticism about internal NCAA or USOPC mechanisms for accountability, such as arbitration programs or ombudsman roles. She believes these often create conflicts of interest and serve to protect the organization rather than ensure genuine accountability for abuse and misconduct.
"Stability without accountability is not protection. It’s exploitation," she concluded.
The Protect College Sports Act is currently under consideration by Congress. Uhlaender's commentary aligns with arguments from groups like INDIVIDUALS COLLABORATING TO END SEXUAL ASSAULT (ICONS), whose plaintiffs are also contesting the NCAA's handling of athlete welfare and legal protections in sports.