New York — Suspended Ohio State running back Maurice Clarett was ruled eligible for the NFL draft Thursday by a federal judge who concluded that the league's rule violates antitrust laws.
U.S. District Judge Shira A. Scheindlin ordered the NFL to let Clarett enter April's draft.
Clarett played just one season at Ohio State, leading the Buckeyes to the 2002 national championship. He was barred from playing in the 2003 season for accepting improper benefits from a family friend and then lying about it to investigators.
Clarett sued the NFL last summer to challenge the league rule that a player must be out of high school three years for draft eligibility. Thursday's ruling, if not successfully appealed, could allow teenage football stars to take advantage of the marketing and business opportunities available to young athletes in other sports.
The league had argued that Clarett should not be eligible because its rule resulted from a collective bargaining agreement with the players and is immune from antitrust scrutiny. The NFL also argued that its rule is reasonable and that Clarett cannot bring such a lawsuit.
"While, ordinarily, the best offense is a good defense, none of these defenses hold the line," the judge wrote in a 70-page ruling.
She said Clarett could bring the lawsuit because he was fighting a policy that excludes all players in his position from selling their services to the only viable buyer — the NFL.
"The NFL has not justified Clarett's exclusion by demonstrating that the rule enhances competition. Indeed, Clarett has alleged the very type of injury — a complete bar to entry into the market for this services — that the antitrust laws are designed to prevent," she said.
Clarett's lawyers had called the NFL's rule arbitrary and anticompetitive, arguing it robbed players like Clarett of an opportunity to enter the multimillion dollar marketplace.
The lawyers cited a court ruling letting baseball players move among teams, and other court decisions opening up the NBA, NHL and now-defunct USFL to younger players.
Alan C. Milstein, the lawyer handling Clarett's NFL lawsuit, said he could not comment immediately. A message left at Clarett's mother's home in Youngstown, Ohio, wasn't returned.
NFL spokesmen did not immediately return phone messages.
Clarett rushed for 1,237 yards as a freshman. Current NFL rules would prevent him from entering the draft until 2005.
The court ruling comes a day after Ohio State said it is investigating a report that a benefactor of Clarett's was gambling while in daily contact with the star running back.
Athletic director Andy Geiger said Wednesday he was "obviously concerned" about the allegations against Bobby Dellimuti, who calls himself a father figure and friend of the Clarett family.
"We will look into this matter and will support and cooperate with any and all investigations," Geiger said.
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U.S. District Judge Shira A. Scheindlin ordered the NFL to let Clarett enter April's draft.
Clarett played just one season at Ohio State, leading the Buckeyes to the 2002 national championship. He was barred from playing in the 2003 season for accepting improper benefits from a family friend and then lying about it to investigators.
Clarett sued the NFL last summer to challenge the league rule that a player must be out of high school three years for draft eligibility. Thursday's ruling, if not successfully appealed, could allow teenage football stars to take advantage of the marketing and business opportunities available to young athletes in other sports.
The league had argued that Clarett should not be eligible because its rule resulted from a collective bargaining agreement with the players and is immune from antitrust scrutiny. The NFL also argued that its rule is reasonable and that Clarett cannot bring such a lawsuit.
"While, ordinarily, the best offense is a good defense, none of these defenses hold the line," the judge wrote in a 70-page ruling.
She said Clarett could bring the lawsuit because he was fighting a policy that excludes all players in his position from selling their services to the only viable buyer — the NFL.
"The NFL has not justified Clarett's exclusion by demonstrating that the rule enhances competition. Indeed, Clarett has alleged the very type of injury — a complete bar to entry into the market for this services — that the antitrust laws are designed to prevent," she said.
Clarett's lawyers had called the NFL's rule arbitrary and anticompetitive, arguing it robbed players like Clarett of an opportunity to enter the multimillion dollar marketplace.
The lawyers cited a court ruling letting baseball players move among teams, and other court decisions opening up the NBA, NHL and now-defunct USFL to younger players.
Alan C. Milstein, the lawyer handling Clarett's NFL lawsuit, said he could not comment immediately. A message left at Clarett's mother's home in Youngstown, Ohio, wasn't returned.
NFL spokesmen did not immediately return phone messages.
Clarett rushed for 1,237 yards as a freshman. Current NFL rules would prevent him from entering the draft until 2005.
The court ruling comes a day after Ohio State said it is investigating a report that a benefactor of Clarett's was gambling while in daily contact with the star running back.
Athletic director Andy Geiger said Wednesday he was "obviously concerned" about the allegations against Bobby Dellimuti, who calls himself a father figure and friend of the Clarett family.
"We will look into this matter and will support and cooperate with any and all investigations," Geiger said.
http://www.globeandmail.com
