A new congressional bill would restrict how many international student-athletes could be on a college sports team.
U.S. Senator Jon Husted (R-OH) and U.S. Representative Tim Walberg (R-MI) introduced the bill in their respective chambers last week: the Training and Education for American Members in University Sports and Athletics (TEAM USA) Act.
TEAM USA Act would prevent varsity college athletic rosters of more than 10 players from having more than 20 percent of their roster dedicated to foreign student-athletes.
If a team has fewer than 10 players, it can have only one international student-athlete, the bill says.
The bill applies only to colleges receiving federal financial assistance.
An international student-athlete is defined as someone who is not an American citizen or a lawful permanent resident and has received compensation or salary from a foreign country’s Olympic or Paralympic committee.
The bill would require schools to submit annual reports.
If a school does not comply with the law, its eligibility to participate in federal student loan programs could be at risk.
According to the NCAA, NCAA Division I and Division II schools give out over $4 billion in athletic scholarships to nearly 200,000 student-athletes.
The House Committee on Education and Workforce noted since 2001, the number of foreign student-athletes receiving scholarships has gone from 8,945 to 25,000, nearly tripling. In certain sports, these students make up more than 60 percent of the athletes.
The NCAA said around 2% of high school athletes will receive a college athletic scholarship.
Walberg said, “American colleges and universities should first and foremost provide opportunities for American students.”
He added that college athletes can access a “world-class education and opportunities that last a lifetime.”
“This bill restores balance by protecting roster spots for American student-athletes. America has built the strongest collegiate athletic system in the world, and we should make sure it continues to develop the next generation of American students and American Olympians,” he noted.
As Congress continues debating how to regulate college sports, Husted said safeguarding “opportunities for American student-athletes must come first.”
“American colleges and universities are increasingly giving scholarships and limited roster spots to foreign athletes, and the growth of NIL money only creates more incentive for foreign athletes to cash in on the American system,” Husted noted.
“If the U.S. Congress is being asked to ‘save college sports,’ we should save it for American student-athletes,” he added.
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Zachery Schmidt is the digital editor of The Star News Network. Email tips to Zachery at [email protected].
