The NCAA has approved a new rule mandating that all prospective Division I athletes undergo screening for sickle cell anemia, the Orlando Sentinel reported. Athletes must either submit to the testing, prove they have already been tested, or sign a written release to opt out of the screening. The new rule stems from the recent deaths of athletes that have the disease, which typically produces no symptoms but can lead to organ failure in extreme cases. The most recent case of sudden death occurred in 2008, when University of Central Florida freshman Ereck Plancher collapsed and died following a football workout. The school is currently facing a wrongful death lawsuit filed by Plancher's parents. Big East and Pac-10 conference leaders have protested this ruling, citing that it will cost schools five to 30 dollars an athlete, the Sentinel reports.
The NCAA is also looking to enact rules to discourage athletes from both taunting and playing with concussion symptoms, CBSSports.com reported. The proposed rule regarding taunting would give the referee the power to call back a touchdown if the player with the ball acts in an unsportsmanlike manner before reaching the goal line. The penalty would be assessed from the spot of the foul. The new rules regarding concussions would make it harder for players with head injuries to return to the field. If the new rule passes, players will need a doctor's approval to return to competition.
The Brigham Young University women's rugby team, ranked No. 6 in Division I, forfeited its game Sunday in the national college tournament against Pennsylvania State University. Even before the team beat the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee, 46-7, in Saturday's round of 16 game, the Cougars announced they would not play on Sunday due to religious beliefs, NyTimes.com reported. All 35 members of the squad are Mormons. While in the past, BYU has always been scheduled to play on Friday and Saturday, instead of Sunday, a scheduling error this year placed the Cougars in the Sunday pool. BYU, owned by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, prohibits its athletes from competing on Sundays, though this rule does not apply to club rugby. Still, the women's rugby team chose to not play "because of our personal beliefs," captain Kirsten Siebach said. While the NCAA requires that championship schedules need to take religious restrictions into account, this rule cannot be enforced in this situation because women's rugby at BYU is not a varsity sport.
