Why Do Student Athletes Get Paid?

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In today’s society, people idolize and adore athletes and some are even known all across the world for their accomplishments in their sport. On the other hand, though, certain athletes are known for less reputable things. Some athletes, both college and professional, have a bad habit of getting into trouble and are constantly breaking the rules. Even after getting caught, they never seem to learn their lesson because they never face any serious consequences. The punishments regular people receive for breaking a law or rule are far worse than the punishments athletes receive for breaking the same law or rule. Because of their fame and impact on the sport they play, athletes who break the rules are given special treatment and shown various …show more content…

According to David Legesse, a writer for the U.S. News and World Report, some schools are trying to prevent this from happening by hiring compliance officers to police and monitor athletic departments. These compliance officers effectively make sure colleges maintain their academic integrity, but they cannot completely eliminate colleges’ special treatment of student athletes as academic obligations are not the only things they get a free pass on. College athletes who have run ins with the law face minimal consequences, mainly due to the influence of athletic programs. Since student athletes would be unable to compete in any college sport if found guilty of a crime, they are bailed out by their athletic program. While some may argue that athletes are given preferential treatment from law enforcement, ESPN investigative reporter Paula Lavigne says that most student athletes who commit a crime are benefited by several factors from major sports programs including “the near-immediate access to high-profile attorneys, the intimidation that is felt by witnesses who accuse athletes, and the higher bar some criminal justice officials feel needs to …show more content…

It is fairly common for professional athletes to have run ins with law enforcement at some point in their career. Whether it is domestic violence, drug use, assault, or even murder, athletes are constantly getting in trouble with the law and they are essentially getting away with it. For example, famous boxer Floyd Mayweather “was once arrested for attacking the mother of his child with a car door in the face. His sentence was suspended on numerous occasions, as this was not the first time” (10 Athletes Forgiven for Horrible Crimes). A person of lesser stature would be charged and face jail time if they committed a similar crime. Since there was no indisputable evidence against him, Mayweather received the benefit of the doubt and avoided more serious penalties because of his reputation as a great athlete. The reason that he has committed assault multiple times is because he keeps getting away with it. Without fair and proper punishments, Mayweather will never realize the seriousness of his actions. Another example of athletes receiving minimal punishments for crimes are defensive ends Ray McDonald and Greg Hardy who, as stated by Boston Globe Media writer Eric Wilbur, continued to play “for the San Francisco 49ers and Carolina Panthers, respectively, with accusations of beating women tied to their names.”

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