NCAA Willing to Bend Rules after Katrina
 

NCAA willing to bend rules after Katrina
By Michael Marot, The Associated Press

INDIANAPOLIS — The NCAA wants university officials and student-athletes to focus on recovery efforts from Hurricane Katrina rather than worry about infractions, schedule changes or travel restrictions.

To help, college athletics' governing body may temporarily adjust some of its most restrictive rules.

Steve Mallonee, the NCAA's managing director for membership services, said Wednesday the NCAA is willing to give athletes and universities more latitude to travel, provide more benefits to athletes' families and even allow students to compete without attending classes because of the storm that devastated the Gulf Coast.

"Any rule that can negatively impact an institution or the student-athletes, I think we'll be proactive in," Mallonee told The Associated Press. "The message we'd like is that we have a process that can and will be flexible to any of our institutions that are impacted."

Other potential changes include moving games to different venues, extending seasons, and possibly allowing athletes' families to stay on campuses.

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