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Obama's Brother-in-Law Rejects Civil Rights Argument Against College Sports Bill
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In Short: Craig Robinson, the executive director of the National Association of Basketball Coaches and Barack Obama's brother-in-law, has rejected arguments that a bipartisan college sports bill is a civil rights issue.
Craig Robinson, the executive director of the National Association of Basketball Coaches and Barack Obama's brother-in-law, has rejected arguments that a bipartisan college sports bill is a civil rights issue. The bill, which aims to add new regulations to college sports, is facing opposition from some groups who claim it would disproportionately affect Black student-athletes.
NAACP President Derrick Johnson, the Congressional Black Caucus, and Senator Chris Murphy, among others, have argued that the bill would undermine the agency of Black athletes in decision-making processes related to their name, image, and likeness (NIL). They contend that the legislation would put control back into the hands of predominantly White coaches and college administrators.
Robinson, however, maintains that the bill does not disenfranchise Black athletes. He emphasized that the athletes most affected by the bill are largely Black, while those who would benefit are predominantly White coaches and executives in college sports.
The Congressional Black Caucus has been vocal in its opposition to the bill for several months, arguing that it would roll back recent gains made by Black student-athletes in terms of NIL rights and decision-making power. The caucus has also linked the bill to broader concerns about voting rights following the Supreme Court’s decision on the Voting Rights Act.
Supporters of the bill, including Robinson, argue that it is necessary to address the current chaos in college athletics, such as the disparity in age among players, unlimited transfers, and declining graduation rates.
What this adds
The bill, known as the Protect College Sports Act, is expected to receive a Senate vote in the next 10 days, following a push from lawmakers and support from coaches like Nick Saban.
Background
Sen. Ted Cruz expects the Protect College Sports Act to receive a Senate vote in the next 10 days, following a push from lawmakers and support from coaches like Nick Saban.
What's still developing
- "We're just trying to address the chaos that exists right now in college athletics, where 27-year-olds are playing against 17-year-olds, unlimited transfers, graduation rates are plummeting." Alex Miller is a writer for Fox News Digital covering the U.S.