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NCAA Enforcement Chief Insists System is Not 'Broken' and Cheating Doesn't Pay

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The head of the NCAA's enforcement division responded to Bob Bowlsby's "cheating pays" comment and said no organization could possibly keep 1,200 athletic departments in line at all times.

According to the Associated Press, Jonathan Duncan took offense to Bowlsby calling the NCAA's rule enforcement "broken" and overwhelmed. Duncan argued that cheating does not pay off because most of the time, violations are caught and sanctions are doled out.

The NCAA's enforcement wing is on its way out of a rocky period and Duncan has served as its interim chief since March 2013. Julie Roe Lach was fired after an internal investigation found the NCAA's own personnel improperly collected evidence when probing the University of Miami (UM).

"We don't pretend to be able to catch every violation in any given year," Duncan told the AP. "So the next question is, do we have a handle on it, and the answer is yes, I think we do. The people who violate the rules will be found out, and we will report them back to the committee on infractions."

UM athletics was accused of extensive violations revolving around one ultra-wealthy booster who provided improper benefits to student-athletes, mainly football players. Bowlsby said Monday at the Big 12 Media Days event that a specific sign of ineffectiveness was that the NCAA was not handling any high-profile cases.

"If the membership were to entrust me with additional resources, I would use them wisely," Duncan said. "I feel strongly about my job to be a good steward financially. In the meantime, though, I feel like we have a talented staff to do what our resources allow us to do."

Mark Emmert, the NCAA president, has insisted that his organization is going to "up the ante" in delivering punishments for major infractions. However, the NCAA is currently awaiting a vote on a proposal that would give the five most financially well-off conferences the ability to govern themselves with more autonomy than they have ever had.

"Bob Bowlsby says the enforcement unit is broken, and my reaction is, 'Duh, of course, it took you that long to figure it out?'" Gerald Gurney, president of NCAA watchdog Drake Group, told the AP. "If we're interested in fairness, it starts with giving schools and individuals real due process. Right now, once you get a notice of inquiry, you're presumed guilty, and we've seen schools fire coaches regularly without due process. People don't have much confidence in this (system)."

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