Proposed addition to NCAA Legislation Bylaw: Amendment 16.5.2
17 December 2009
2008-43 AWARDS, BENEFITS AND EXPENSES -- HOUSING AND MEALS --
NUTRITIONAL SUPPLEMENTS -- FRUIT, NUTS AND BAGELS
Status: Legislative Council Inital Consideration Process Diagram
Intent: To specify that fruit, nuts and bagels are classes of nonmuscle-building nutritional
supplements that may be provided to student-athletes for the purpose of providing additional
calories and electrolytes.
Bylaws: Amend 16.5.2, as follows:
16.5.2 Permissible. Identified housing and meal benefits incidental to a student's participation in
intercollegiate athletics that may be financed by the institution are:
[16.5.2-(a) through 16.5.2-(f) unchanged.
(g) Nutritional Supplements. An institution may provide only nonmuscle-building nutritional
supplements to a student-athlete at any time for the purpose of providing additional calories and
electrolytes, provided the supplements do not contain any NCAA banned substances.
Permissible nonmuscle-building nutritional supplements are identified according to the following
classes: Carbohydrate/electrolyte drinks, energy bars, carbohydrate boosters, and vitamins and
minerals, fruit, nuts and bagels.
Source: Atlantic Coast Conference.
Effective Date: August 1, 2008
Proposal Category: Amendment
Topical Area: Awards, Benefits and Expenses
Rationale: Current legislation allows for an institution to provide student-athletes with energy
bars, carbohydrate/electrolyte drinks, and carbohydrate boosters, but does not allow them to
provide actual food items, such as fruits, nuts, or bagels. Dietitians working with student-athletes
work to convince student-athletes and coaches that nutrition can have a very big impact on his or
her athletics performance, and to convince them that they are not immune to the same types of
health risks that nonathletes face. While some sports nutrition supplements have an important
role in the lives of athletes, encouraging a diet of healthy and natural foods is a key for
establishing a long term healthy lifestyle. Additionally, many permissible nonmuscle-building
nutritional supplements may not be as healthy as they seem. Many contain high-fructose corn
syrup, which has raised concern among nutritional experts because of the way it is broken down
in the body. Excessive amounts of fructose have been theorized to be one of the contributors to
the obesity epidemic. Fructose has also been linked, through research, to an increased risk for
heart disease and accelerated bone loss.
Estimated Budget Impact: Costs related to providing fruit, nuts and bagels to student-athletes
at any time.
