The NCAA has been given the go ahead by the federal government to begin looking into policy violations surrounding the federal basketball investigation. According to YAHOO! Sports, this preliminary step could launch one of the most important actions ever taken by the NCAA enforcement division.
The NCAA has been collaborating with the federal investigation since the arrest of ten men involved in the basketball recruiting scandal in September 2017. Prior to being given express permission, the NCAA has been reluctant to interfere with the federal investigation, but will now begin its own investigative process.
Though no announcement has been made alluding to the specific timeline of the investigation, campuses tied to the investigation expect the NCAA to take action without delay. The investigation is also expected to be a long, slow and tedious process as the NCAA pours over the doings of schools numbering in the double digits.
Approval to begin the investigation comes shortly after the end of the first of three trials in the federal investigation in late October. Lawyers for the three defendants thus far found guilty on all charges have expressed an intent to appeal the convictions. Additional trials remain scheduled for February and April 2019.
