WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Bill Cassidy, M.D. (R-LA), chair of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee, questioned the fairness of the NCAA eligibility rules allowing older, more experienced, and often international student-athletes to compete against younger athletes.
Per current NCAA rules, student-athletes are allowed to delay enrollment, giving them a competitive edge against younger, less experienced student-athletes. Reporting indicates that many of these older first-year athletes are international, putting American student-athletes coming out of high school at a disadvantage.
“These data underscore my concern that age and prior competition experience can create competitive imbalances for American student-athletes—and for traditional-age student-athletes of all nationalities—who are navigating college sports for the first time,” wrote Dr. Cassidy. “My goal is ensuring that student recruits and families can rely on clear and enforceable policies that protect fairness in competition across sports and divisions.”
Read the full letter here or below.
Dear President Baker:
I write to share concerns about fairness in intercollegiate athletics. Specifically, I am seeking information on whether current National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) eligibility and reporting practices ensure that traditional-age student-athletes—both domestic and international—compete on an even playing field with older newcomers who may arrive with substantial pre-college experience.
Public reporting has highlighted the presence of older first-year athletes, often international, who join NCAA programs after extensive competitive experience.1 This reporting has often focused on Australian punters, but NCAA’s research indicates that international student-athletes comprise a significant share of first-year rosters in several sports, especially on Division I teams including tennis (61-64%), ice hockey (38-41%), and golf (26-34%).2
These data underscore my concern that age and prior competition experience can create competitive imbalances for American student-athletes—and for traditional-age student-athletes of all nationalities—who are navigating college sports for the first time.
I recognize that NCAA bylaws address amateurism and delayed enrollment/organized competition, and that the NCAA is contemplating additional changes to eligibility rules. My goal is ensuring that student recruits and families can rely on clear and enforceable policies that protect fairness in competition across sports and divisions.
To inform the Committee, please provide the following information:
The number of first-year student-athletes (non-transfers at initial full-time collegiate enrollment) broken down by age, sport, and division (I, II, and III) for the five most recent academic years available (in a format similar to the sport-by-division formatting using in NCAA’s September 2023 brief on international student-athletes). For the age breakdowns, use the following age ranges: 18 or younger, 19-20, 21-22, 23-24, and 25 and older.
The same age data as above, except limited to only student-athletes who receive athletic scholarships.
A summary of any policy changes under consideration—including potential revisions to amateurism and delayed-enrollment/organized-competition rules—intended to address competitive imbalances arising from substantial pre-college experience or materially older entrants.
Recent guidance, compliance resources, or education provided to member institutions and prospective student-athletes concerning age-related eligibility (including sport-specific provisions, such as tennis), and how these are communicated to recruits and families.
The Committee’s goal is to ensure that all student-athletes—American and international alike— can compete fairly. Please provide a point of contact for follow-up and transmit your response and data to the Committee by November 4, 2025.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this request.
Sincerely,
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