U. of Miami Gets 3-Year NCAA Probation but Avoids Additional Bowl Ban

The NCAA announced on Tuesday that it had placed the University of Miami on probation for three years and reduced some of the university’s athletics scholarships, citing it for a lack of institutional control that resulted in “a decade of violations” in Miami’s football and men’s basketball programs, The New York Times reported.

The NCAA’s investigation of Miami stemmed from allegations that Nevin Shapiro, a Hurricanes booster who was convicted of operating a Ponzi scheme, provided athletes with thousands of dollars in impermissible benefits.

The association admitted making mistakes in its handling of the inquiry, which involved improper conduct by its enforcement staff. Miami had previously self-imposed a two-year ban on bowl games, for the 2011 and 2012 seasons, and the penalties announced by the NCAA on Tuesday did not include an additional ban.

The university said in a written statement that it “accepts the findings and the additional penalties as detailed in the Committee on Infractions report and will not appeal.” Its president, Donna E. Shalala, said the NCAA’s report “closes a challenging chapter in the history of the University of Miami.”