Dec. 21, 1999

St. Louis, Mo. - The NCAA has ruled that University of Missouri freshman forward Kareem Rush can regain his eligibility based on the fulfillment of certain conditions. The decision was rendered today by the NCAA Student-Athlete Reinstatement Staff.

Rush will be required to repay the amount of money he received from an AAU coach, prior to his enrollment at Missouri, which has been deemed as an impermissible benefit. The dollar figure is yet to be determined, and Rush will have the length of his eligibility to complete the payment. The money will go to the charity or charities of his choice.

The reinstatement staff has also ruled that Rush must be withheld from 50 percent of Missouri?s competition during the 1999-2000 season. The exact number of games is also yet to be determined, based on a number of factors.

The University will have the opportunity to appeal to the NCAA Subcommittee on Student-Athlete Reinstatement. The University plans to submit the appeal tomorrow (Dec. 22), and anticipates the appeal being heard next week.