ISL Action Or Fifth Year of College: NCAA Athletes Given Time to Make Decision

Photo Courtesy: Mine Kasapoglu / ISL

ISL Action Or Fifth Year of College: NCAA Athletes Given Time to Make Decision

The International Swimming League Friday announced a three-week “cooling-off” period in June for NCAA swimmers considering taking part in the league’s draft for Season 3.

The period will last from June 1-22. It gives NCAA student-athletes a period to gauge interest in them in the ISL and provides a deadline to withdraw to maintain amateur status for the NCAA.

The ISL’s exemption gives athletes time to ponder ISL inclusion against the NCAA’s decision to extend an extra year of eligibility for the pandemic-affected year. The cooling-off period offers swimmers time to weigh their options and safeguards amateur status. Participation in a professional league like the ISL would mean an end to amateur status and thus NCAA eligibility for swimmers.

“We have listened to the worries and concerns of some NCAA student swimmers who are undecided about registering for the ISL Draft,” ISL founder Konstantin Grigorishin said in a press release. “This is a unique situation for a handful of swimmers that requires understanding and a proactive solution on our part. We want to reassure these swimmers that if they sign up before the deadline of 31st May we will understand and wish them well if they subsequently decide to withdraw ahead of the draft itself in order to continue as an NCAA student-athlete.”

The deadline to register for the ISL Season 3 draft, which is being newly implemented this year, remains May 31. But swimmers have the option to withdraw ahead of that June 22 period. The draft will take place during the week of June 28. Full draft rules and the ISL athlete registry are available here.

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