Auburn quarterback Cam Newton warms up prior to the game against Georgia at Jordan-Hare Stadium in Auburn, Ala. (AP File Photo/Dave Martin, File)Auburn quarterback Cam Newton is immediately eligible to compete, according to a decision today by the NCAA student-athlete reinstatement staff.
The NCAA concluded Monday that a violation of amateurism rules occurred, and Auburn declared Newton ineligible Tuesday for violations of NCAA amateurism rules.
When a school discovers an NCAA rules violation has occurred, it must declare the student-athlete ineligible and may request the student-athlete’s eligibility be reinstated. Reinstatement decisions are made by the NCAA national office staff and can include conditions such as withholding from competition and repayment of extra benefits
Newton was reinstated without any conditions.
According to facts of the case agreed upon by Auburn University and the NCAA enforcement staff, Newton’s father, Cecil Newton, and an owner of a scouting service, former Mississippi State player Kenny Rogers, worked together to actively market Newton as a part of a pay-for-play scenario in return for Newton’s commitment to attend college and play football.
NCAA rules (Bylaw 12.3.3) do not allow individuals or entities to represent a prospective student-athlete for compensation to a school for an athletic scholarship.
In conjunction with the case, Auburn has limited the access Newton’s father has to the athletics program and Mississippi State has disassociated the involved individual.
“The conduct of Cam Newton’s father and the involved individual is unacceptable and has no place in the SEC or in intercollegiate athletics,” Southeastern Conference commissioner Mike Slive said. “The actions taken by Auburn University and Mississippi State University make it clear this behavior will not be tolerated in the SEC.”
For more information, read Thursday’s Times Free Press