IARP downgrades Kansas violations, levies no additional penalties

LAWRENCE, Kan. (AP) — Kansas announced Wednesday that an independent panel has downgraded five Level I violations lodged by the NCAA against the men's basketball program and Jayhawks coach Bill Self, ending a years-long saga by giving KU three years of probation and no other penalties.

The Jayhawks announced the details shortly before a scheduled news conference with panel officials.

The school had appealed the violations, which sprung from a 2017 investigation into college basketball corruption, through the Independent Accountability Review Process that was created to handle complex cases. Among the NCAA charges was a lack of institutional control and an allegation that Self failed in his responsibility to keep the program in compliance.

The case hinged on whether representatives of the apparel company Adidas were considered boosters — the school contends they were not — when two of them arranged payments to prospective recruits. The school never disputed that the payments were made, only that it had any knowledge of the inducements.

The school made its case during a hearing in April, and the independent panel ultimately decided that the case was merely a Level II infractions case. The panel also said that Self, who served a school-imposed four-game suspension last season, should be charged with a Level II violation and that the Hall of Fame coach would serve no additional penalties.

Kansas is expected to be the preseason No. 1 team when the AP poll is released next week.

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