The Intercollegiate Coach Association Coalition (ICAC) made a formal submission yesterday to Congress’ Commission on the State of U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Sports advocating for the protection and support of Olympics sports at the collegiate level. The ICAC, a collection of coaching associations including the Collegiate Rowing Coaches Association (CRCA) for women and the Intercollegiate Rowing Coaches Association (IRCA) for men, emphasized the need to safeguard Olympic sports in the rapidly changing collegiate sport landscape. The CRCA co-signed the letter, though the IRCA did not contribute.

As seen in the NCAA vs. Alston Supreme Court case, the NCAA appears to be generally seeking exemptions from federal antitrust laws that would allow them to engage in obviously anticompetitive behavior like restricting compensation for college athletes. The ICAC argues that any such exemption would be “catastrophic” for Olympic sports. Their letter states, “Granting the exemption without concomitant protections for Olympic sports will only result in more money pouring into the revenue sports and a proverbial arms race that will force many universities to choose between cutting Olympic sports in an attempt to ‘keep up’ with the schools that have greater resources.”

Marnie Stahl, executive director of the CRCA, said to Rowing News, “The ICAC’s proactive engagement is a step forward in navigating the evolving landscape of collegiate Olympic sports. For the CRCA, this collaboration with other coaches associations amplifies our voice, addressing athlete and coach concerns and needs alongside a broader sporting community.”