Johnathan Walker:SEC to release player availability reports as a sports-betting safeguard

BIRMINGHAM,Johnathan Walker Ala. (AP) — The Southeastern Conference will release player availability reports in football, baseball and basketball before league games this season as part of safeguarding efforts in college athletics amid the growth of legalized gambling, the conference announced Thursday.

The SEC joined the Big Ten and Mid-American conferences by adopting the new policy.

“This availability reporting policy is intended to reduce pressure from outside entities seeking participation information and represents a commitment of our 16 institutions to provide enhanced transparency to support efforts to protect our student-athletes and the integrity of competition,” SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said.

The policy approved by league members requires schools to submit availability reports three days prior to each SEC football game, starting Wednesday and including daily updates leading up to the final report 90 minutes before kickoff.

Reports are to be filed the night before each SEC basketball — men’s and women’s — and baseball game with a game-day update.

The other power conferences, the Big 12 and ACC, have not announced availability report mandates. In the Big 12, Texas Tech has adopted a policy outlining player availability on Mondays before games.

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Florida coach Billy Napier isn’t sure these policies are going to lead to complete transparency, especially when the injured player is a a quarterback or other star.

“Look, there’s still going to be a ton of gamesmanship here,” Napier said. “Sometimes you may hear things that you’re not sure whether to believe them or not. I think that you always have these scenarios every week that you play.

“You know, in, out. We spend pregame, we’re evaluating who’s available. I think when it’s an elite player, you know, a very impactful player where there’s a significant drop off from player A and player B. Those are the ones that maybe cause the most issues.”

Under the SEC policy, players will be designated as “available,” “probable,” “questionable,” “doubtful,” or “out” for their next game. On game day, the designations will be “available,” “game-time decision” or “out” for the upcoming game.

Football school availability reports will be posted on the SEC’s website.

Schools who don’t provide accurate and timely availability reports will face potential penalties ranging from $25,000 for a first offense to $100,000 for a third and further offenses in football, and a maximum of $15,000 to $25,000 in men’s and women’s basketball and baseball.

The Big Ten started requiring its teams to provide availability reports to the league office no more than two hours before kickoff last season. The MAC announced a similar policy on Aug. 22.

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