In an effort to crack down on what many coaches, parents, and administrators see as a transfer problem in sports, the state of Georgia is looking at hiring private investigators.
According to 11 Alive, the state is voting on a rule that would force kids who transfer based on athletic reasons to sit out half of the school's regular season, a rule that is being called "the 50% rule," and GHSA assistant executive director Jay Russell and his colleagues believe that now is the time to buckle down on the issue.
If the 50% rule passes, transfers will be forced to sit out half the regular season UNLESS their previous school waives the rule, or the student appeals and the school is able to prove that the move was not for athletic reasons.
Via 11 Alive:
“Our society has changed so much. We live in a very transient society, and it’s easy for people to move. People move often. I would say the large majority of moves of student athletes…are legitimate moves,” Russell said. “But there is indecent foul play going on out there. That’s what’s getting publicity, and we certainly need to move in a direction to curtail that problem.”
The article goes on to point out that last season, Grayson HS (GA) won the 7A state title after having several "highly-recruited" athletes transfer in, but the GHSA could not find any evidence that the athletes broke any of its current transfer rules. That led to former director Gary Phillips eventual retirement amidst public outcry.
Beginning in July, the GHSA will have $2,500 included in their annual budget earmarked for private investigators to investigate transfers. That is one of just a few solutions that the Transfer Eligibility Task Force camp up with.