FAMU Recommends Penalties, Names New Compliance Official
TALLAHASSEE, Fla.
Florida A&M volunteered to strip its football program of 28 scholarships over three years and impose a one-year postseason ban on its men’s basketball team as the school conceded a “widespread” lack of institutional control in an internal report released earlier this week.
The school fired football coach Billy Joe several weeks ago as part of its effort to avoid additional penalties for more than 200 violations that surfaced in nearly every varsity sport at the historically Black college.
The report also recommended eliminating 4.5 baseball scholarships, 3.5 in men’s track and 2.5 in women’s track and curtail recruiting activities for three years and reduce the time allowed for football practice.
The university’s findings revealed more than 100 athletes were allowed to compete without filling out eligibility or drug-testing consent forms required by the NCAA.
Florida A&M said it would vacate any team or individual records or awards resulting from performances by ineligible athletes between 1998-2005.
