Missouri appeals NCAA sanctions

The University of Missouri Athletics Department has filed its appeal challenging sanctions levied by the NCAA over improper tutoring of student athletes.

The NCAA on Jan. 31 announced that the Missouri football, baseball and softball teams would be banned from postseason play along with other santions after an investigation into whether a former tutor completed classwork for 12 athletes.

The 64-page brief filed Monday with the NCAA’s Appeals Committee seeks to overturn those penalties. MU argues in the brief that the penalties were contrary to NCAA precedent, were not supported or appropriate given the nature fo the violations and that they could have a “chilling effect” on future enforcement, MU Athletics said in a news release.

The NCAA Committee on Infractions has 30 days to respond to the appeal and an in-person hearing with MU and NCAA officials will then be scheduled, the release said.

“We believe that the penalties our programs received were a clear abuse of the Committee’s discretion based upon existing NCAA bylaws. Our staff and legal team have worked tirelessly to research and develop a well-written appeal that accurately reflects our position,” MU athletic director Jim Sterk said in a written statement. “We look forward to having the opportunity to meet face to face with the NCAA Appeals Committee later this year, and it is our sincere hope that at the end of this process, the penalties assessed are consistent with the nature of the violations and take into account our swift response.”

The school has emphasized throughout the process that it reported the violations itself and that they were a result of the actions of “a single, rogue, part-time employee.”