MO. state rep wants to take scholarships from striking athletes

A Missouri state representative has pre-filed a bill that would cause any striking collegiate athlete in his state to lose their scholarship.

Yes, this is a real bill.

Rick Brattin, R-Harrisonville, has pre-filed a bill to the MO house of representatives that would revoke scholarships for striking players.

— David Morrison (@DavidCMorrison) December 14, 2015

The bill comes after Missouri football players in early November decided to forgo football activities in solidarity with campus protesters who called for a change in campus leadership after a series of racially charged on-campus incidents. The players strike last about three days and the team played against BYU the following weekend.

Since this is a pre-file there are few details on this bill, however, as noted by the sports editor of the Columbia Daily Tribune, scholarships aren’t state funded.

MU athletic scholarships are funded with private donations to TSF. Whether the scholarships are honored isn’t the business of politicians.

— Joe Walljasper (@JoeWalljasper) December 14, 2015

Still, the fact that this bill is even being introduced into the state legislature is not sitting well with former Missouri players.

Former #Mizzou safety Ian Simon, a leader of the boycott, on the proposed bill to revoke athlete scholarships: pic.twitter.com/6FJeTkQRkH

— Aaron Reiss (@aaronjreiss) December 14, 2015

The bill is proposed to go into effect on Aug. 28, 2016. The Missouri athletic department has not responded regarding the proposal.

For more Missouri news, visit PowerMizzou.com.

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Graham Watson is the editor of Dr. Saturday on Yahoo Sports. Have a tip? Email her at [email protected] or follow her on Twitter! Follow @YahooDrSaturday

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