NCAA decides not to deny aid to a homeless Boise State football player

KTVB had a heartbreaking feature on Boise State Brocos football player Antoine Turner earlier this week, describing his difficult life. When he was four years old he lost his mother to cancer and he wasn’t close to his father. He was living in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina and went to California to go to junior college, and lived with his girlfriend and her family. Eventually he moved in with his uncle, but due to government housing regulations he couldn’t move back in to his uncle’s place and was homeless until summer school started June 6.

Fans wanted to help out Turner, but Boise State’s compliance office had to tell fans and decent people not to help because it could be an “impermissible benefit.”

Boise State compliance office had to send this memo to KTVB as a reminder:

"We need to make it clear to your viewers and Bronco fans that it is NOT permissible within NCAA rules for boosters of Boise State athletics to provide benefits to Mr. Turner. That would include money, loans, gifts, discounts, transportation costs, etc.While Mr. Turner’s need is abundantly clear, it is not permissible for Boise State, the athletics department or supporters of the athletics department to assist Mr. Turner at this time. Once Mr. Turner arrives on campus for the start of the summer school program, he will be well taken care of—receiving full tuition, room and board, books, fees etc. In the meantime, the compliance office is exploring a potential waiver with the NCAA that would allow us to provide assistance prior to the start of summer school."

Well the story has a happy ending, the NCAA is allowing Boise State to provide assistance to Turner.