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NCAA Rules Augsburg Runner Mohammed Bati Ineligible After $6,000 Community Tuition Gift

Division III policy treats outside tuition support as impermissible unless structured as financial aid or NIL.

Overview

  • Bati has been barred from his final indoor and outdoor track seasons, according to his statement reported on Dec. 27.
  • He said he accepted roughly $6,000 raised by local supporters to cover a semester’s tuition during financial hardship.
  • He acknowledged the violation and characterized the money as noncommercial community help rather than a sponsorship.
  • No appeal or formal statement from Augsburg University or the NCAA had been announced as of Saturday.
  • The senior recently placed second at the Division III cross-country championships and ran 2:12:27 at CIM, qualifying for Boston and the 2028 Olympic Trials.