INDIANAPOLIS --- The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA), the National Basketball Coaches Association (NABC) and the Women’s Basketball Coaches Association (WBCA) are partnering to place additional attention on the dangers of sports wagering as part of the NCAA’s “Don’t Bet On It” wristband campaign.

The NCAA, NABC and the WBCA are encouraging head basketball coaches and their staffs across the country to wear blue NCAA wristbands Saturday, February 26, 2005. The wristbands have been distributed to colleges and universities in conjunction with National Sports Wagering Awareness Day this Saturday.

"We—coaches, officials, players and sports administrators—must join arms and protect the game from the influence of individuals who would place their own self-interests or enjoyment above the integrity of the game by participating in gambling activities surrounding collegiate basketball,” said Jim Haney, NABC executive director. “When the public loses its trust that the games are competed honestly, the interest in the game will ultimately wane.”

“The WBCA is in full support of focusing on remedies that will eliminate sports wagering among our student-athletes,” added WBCA Chief Executive Officer Beth Bass. “This is becoming a major concern in athletics and we must continue to combat high-risk behaviors that have a demoralizing effect on the student-athlete and jeopardizes their eligibility. I will wear my blue wristband with pride February 26.”

The NCAA “Don’t Bet On It” wristband campaign serves to place additional awareness on the negative effects sports wagering can have on the well-being of student-athletes and the integrity of college sports. Each year, NCAA national office staff discuss the negative impact of sports wagering with student-athletes at NCAA championships and campus events, in addition to distributing written materials and video resources to member institutions to further education surrounding the hazards of sports wagering.

In May 2004, a national study commissioned by the NCAA revealed a “disturbing” frequency of sports wagering among student-athletes. The NCAA’s National Study on Collegiate Sports Wagering and Associated Health Risks indicates that both male and female student-athletes are engaged in gambling or sports wagering. Specifically, the data show that almost 35 percent of male student-athletes have engaged in some type of sports wagering behavior in the past year, compared to only 10 percent of female student-athletes.

"The scope of sports wagering among intercollegiate student-athletes is startling and disturbing,” NCAA President Myles Brand said when the study’s results were announced. “Sports wagering is a double-threat because it harms the well-being of student-athletes and the integrity of college sports.”

Last year, NCAA President Brand announced the formation of the NCAA Sports Wagering task force to further analyze results from the survey and recommend strategies to counteract sports wagering among student-athletes. University of Notre Dame President Rev. Edward A. Malloy is the chair of the task force, and Grant Teaff, executive director of the American Football Coaches Association, is vice-chair.

The task force is considering recommendations that may include expanding education efforts, proposing new NCAA legislation and introducing legislation at the state and federal levels. Final recommendations will be announced this year.