March 9, 2012

ATLANTA – The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Appeals Committee today denied Georgia Tech’s appeal of a decision made by the Division I Committee on Infractions in July 2011.

Last fall, Georgia Tech appealed the Committee on Infractions’ finding of Failure to Meet the Conditions and Obligations of Membership for not withholding a student athlete from competing in the 2009 Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) football championship. It also appealed the sanction that it must vacate the 2009 ACC football championship. The committee ruled last year that Georgia Tech violated NCAA policy by playing an ineligible player in the game. The committee also handed down other infractions, but the vacated championship was the only sanction that Tech appealed.

“We are disappointed with the ruling of the NCAA appeals committee, but respect the process and the NCAA’s decision,” said Georgia Tech President G.P. “Bud” Peterson. “We felt we owed it to the Georgia Tech community and to our student athletes to exercise the appeals process provided by the NCAA in order to defend the integrity of Georgia Tech and to reaffirm our commitment to the principles and obligations of the NCAA.”

Peterson emphasized that Georgia Tech fully supports the NCAA’s core values which also include maintaining the highest levels of integrity and sportsmanship while pursuing excellence in both academics and athletics.

Georgia Tech notified the NCAA of its intent to appeal the committee’s decision in July 2011. The ruling was issued today and is the final decision in the NCAA appeal process.