Colorado judge issues clarification to class-wide injunction for NCAA eligibility
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U.S. District Court of Colorado Judge Charlotte Sweeney issued an injunction against the NCAA on July 31, allowing all class of 2022 athletes a fifth-year of eligibility. Two days later on Sunday, Aug. 2, she added an important clarification to the court filing.
Sweeney added that athletes granted a fifth year of eligibility don't override current transfer rules, roster limits or revenue-sharing totals, the court documents show. That means if a college football roster is full, a player taking advantage of the injunction can't join the team, regardless of the court ruling. It also means a program can't go over its revenue-sharing total to pay one of the class of 2022 players granted a fifth year.
Altogether, the injunction isn't intended to override the House v. NCAA settlement from 2025 that introduced revenue sharing and new roster limits.
“The Court’s order does not enjoin the operation of transfer rules,” Sweeney wrote. “As the plain language of the preliminary injunction order and this order make clear, the Court’s injunction concerns only the implementation of the Rule (as defined in the preliminary injunction order) and any Bylaw that prohibits Plaintiffs and Class Members from competing in a fifth season of collegiate athletics.”
The injunction is more relevant for college basketball, with some programs strategically leaving roster spots open and keeping money aside for any potential fifth-year players. Former Clemson forward RJ Godfrey has already signed with Arizona as a result of the court order.a
The NCAA is expected to appeal the injunction, and Sweeney's response comes after the NCAA stated Saturday, Aug. 1, that the ruling "lacks the authority to undermine the House injunction."
The NCAA recently adopted a "five-for-five" eligibility format, essentially getting rid of redshirts to grant all athletes five seasons that must be played in a five-year span. The plan was set to go into place for fall 2027, before the injunction was granted.
The Protect College Sports Act is also currently gaining steam in U.S. Congress after the Big Ten and SEC both endorsed the bill after multiple rounds of revisions. It's unclear if the bill going into law would override the injunction.
The injunction could have a huge impact on rosters across the country, but Aug. 2's clarification puts up a guardrail for some teams.
This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Colorado judge issues clarification to class-wide injunction for NCAA eligibility
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