The National Collegiate Athletic Association — better known as the NCAA — will establish a $70 million fund to test college athletes for brain injuries.
The NCAA agreed Tuesday to settle a brain injury class action lawsuit against it by creating the fund and implementing procedures for how athletes may be returned to the field after a blow to the head.
If approved, the deal will pay for medical testing for thousands of college athletes who believe they sustained brain injuries on the field.
The terms of the settlement provide testing for NCAA team members past, present and for those 50 years into the future — who believe they have brain trauma resulting from an incident during a game or practice.
The agreement also commits the NCAA to prevent student athletes from returning to the field the same day as they have received a blow to the head.
The NCAA has faced tough questions over compensating amateur athletes who receive scholarships, but who are otherwise not paid for their roles in college athletics.
