Is it fair for an athlete to lose their scholarship after an injury?
Many athletes sign their NLIs in hopes of having a clear four years competing at a top level. They believe that the university they signed to will take care of them while they are there and that’s that. But in many cases that’s not always the way things go.
Injuries are always unexpected and can end a career immediately. Some athletes get hurt while they are still going through the recruiting process, hurting their chances at getting a full scholarship while some athletes get hurt throughout their careers in college. Nearly 30% percent of college athletes get injured simply from just overusing certain muscles in their bodies. If they have a career ending injury should they lose their scholarship? or should the school honor their four year commitment?
An article in the New York Times state, “Under N.C.A.A. rules, players can still lose their scholarships after being hurt, often pay for their own insurance and are generally responsible for long-term health care for injuries sustained on the playing field.”
But why should it be an athletes responsibility to handle their own medical problems when they are under the schools responsibility. Many players lighten their injuries so that they aren’t tossed to the side. They have a constant fear that if they get injured they are less valuable and are easily replaced.
For a sport such as football or basketball they have an insanely larger chance of getting injured and most of the time the injuries are during a game. Many football players go on to have major injury problems throughout the rest of their lives but they are forced to deal with it on their own because the school will not always provide them with the aid they need.
Every school has a different approach to how much medical attention they will allow their athletes to attain. According to John Infante who is an NCAA compliance expert, the bar is set fairly low in terms of what has to be provided medically. Many athletes will end up having life changing injuries that will be a constant struggle for them forever.
I ask again, do you think that it is the schools responsibility to take care of the athletes during and post athletic careers? or should athletes go into their sports knowing the damage that it can do.
