The University of South Carolina announced on Monday that it has formally received a "notice of allegations" from the NCAA (PDF). The notification was the next step in the process following a joint investigation between the NCAA and the university which began in the summer of 2010.
NCAA Gives South Carolina Notice Of Allegations
South Carolina stands accused of allowing a nearby hotel to provide reduced rent to student-athletes as well as not monitoring illegal booster benefits.
According to the notification, the nearby Whitney Hotel allegedly provided $47,000 worth of reduced rent to 12 student-athletes and made special arrangements with 9 of them to make deferred rent payments between 2009 and 2010. Most of the student-athletes lived in a two-bedroom suite for approximately $15/day. South Carolina has been accused of not properly-monitoring these agreements.
The names of the student-athletes were omitted from the report.
Kevin Lahn and Steve Gordon, two “representatives of the institution’s athletic interests” are also allegedly to have provided improper benefits including free travel, meals and lodging.
South Carolina has until December 14 to respond to the notice.
“We have and will continue to cooperate fully with the NCAA in all aspects of their review,” said athletics director Eric Hyman. “Any pertinent information from the NCAA that can help us strengthen our athletics program will be used as an opportunity to make positive change.”
For more on the allegations and South Carolina athletics, visit Garnet and Black Attack.
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