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Will intramural (IM) sports bring down Penn State President Graham Spanier?

Winning the IM racquetball tournament against Jesse and Aliza Richman last Saturday, the duo of Spanier and Fredina Ingold, athletic director for Penn State Altoona, has come under criticism by a former opponent due to alleged rule-bending.

Eligibility is an important facet of collegiate athletics, even in intramural competition.

According to the University Park IM rulebook, "participants must be full-time undergraduate students, registered graduate students, or faculty and staff members of Penn State University at University Park to be eligible for any Intramural tournament."

Given this eligibility requirement, Ingold, a former national racquetball doubles gold medalist, would be unable to compete in the IM competition because she is employed at Penn State Altoona.

James O'Brien, an opponent who faced the team in a qualifying round in late February, was disappointed that Ingold was allowed to compete.

"Basically everybody in my bracket got trashed by their team." O'Brien said. "I know it sounds like sour grapes, but none of us would have been awarded the same courtesy that Spanier's team was given."

Ingold's Altoona ties have been scrutinized by opponents in the past as well, when the pair began competing in the tournament four years ago.

After an opponent complained about the fairness of Ingold's participation, Spanier and Ingold both considered forfeiting and withdrawing from the tournament, Spanier said.

"We tried to pull out of the tournament because we didn't want to create any controversy, but the IM staff ruled that we could compete," Spanier said.

IM staff decided Ingold's membership on University Park staff committees sufficed, quoting a passage from the rulebook which reads, "Any of these rules are subject to change at the discretion of the intramural staff."

The allure of Spanier's involvement with the tournament was one of the key factors in the decision, Mark Belden, assistant IM director, said.

"Any time you can get the president of a university to compete in a tournament like this, it's something to be proud of," Belden said.

Ingold agreed that Spanier's participation in the tournament is positive.

"I think it's great that President Spanier has been involved with the racquetball tournament," she said.