SEC's Sankey says language in tampering rules is 'archaic' and NCAA needs to adjust quickly

Southeastern Conference commissioner Greg Sankey called NCAA language covering tampering rules “archaic,” but stopped short of urging the oversight body to halt tampering investigations, the way the Big Ten did earlier this week.

Speaking to reporters Saturday at the SEC basketball tournament in Nashville, Tennessee, the commissioner said the new landscape in college sports, which includes name-image-likeness payments to players, shifting and liberal transfer rules along with the increased influence of agents, calls for the language surrounding the rules to be changed.

“We need clarity," Sankey said. "Secondly, we need understanding on the part of policymakers of what's actually happening. How's this game being played? That doesn't mean the NCAA should just stop. But the notion that a memo would be sent and that changes things when the NCAA is perceived as sitting on the sidelines, that's not a workable solution.”

Though nothing new to college sports, tampering hit the headlines last month when Clemson football coach Dabo Swinney accused Mississippi coach Pete Golding of tampering with transfer-portal signee Luke Ferrelli, a linebacker who first left Cal for Clemson, the re-entered the portal and signed with Mississippi.

The NCAA followed with a memo — the one Sankey speaks of — announcing it would “pursue significant penalties” for tampering violations.

While the Big Ten sent a letter to the NCAA asking for a halt of the tampering rules, the commissioners of the Atlantic Coast and Big 12 conferences both said they were opposed.

Sankey placed himself in that category, but said school leaders meeting with NCAA President Charlie Baker this week pressed for quick changes.

“They need a quick policy reset and they need to announce that with clarity,” Sankey said.

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AP Sports Writer Teresa M. Walker in Tennessee contributed to this report.

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