Pa. governor calls NCAA penalties against Penn State harsh, plans federal antitrust suit

STATE COLLEGE, Pa. – Pennsylvania’s governor says he intends to file a federal antitrust lawsuit against the NCAA in an effort to overturn what he said were “harsh penalties” against Penn State because of the Jerry Sandusky child sex abuse scandal.

Gov. Tom Corbett, flanked by members of his staff and current and former students and athletes from the school, says the NCAA punished students, the community and businesses around the university, not the former assistant football coach who molested children.

The sanctions imposed in July included a $60 million fine for child abuse prevention grants, a four-year bowl game ban for the university’s marquee football program and the forfeiture of 112 wins.

Corbett says the lawsuit to be filed later Wednesday would show the NCAA actions were overreaching and unlawful.

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