Which policy is aimed at protecting the integrity of college sports?

• A. NCAA gambling ban
• B. Player salary cap
• C. Tournament expansion
• D. Coaching accreditation

Answer: (A)

Protecting the integrity of college sports rests on keeping competition free from outside influence like gambling. A policy that bans gambling within college sports directly targets the risk that outcomes could be altered for bets or that participants might be pressured to influence results for financial gain. By prohibiting betting and related wagering activities, it reduces conflicts of interest, helps enforce fair play, and makes violations easier to detect and punish, which preserves trust in the results and the amateur status of the athletes.

The other options don’t target this core safeguard as directly. A salary cap affects how players are compensated and can influence competitiveness, but it doesn’t specifically prevent gambling-related corruption. Expanding the tournament focuses on growth, exposure, and revenue rather than protecting the integrity of results. Coaching accreditation emphasizes standards and qualifications of coaches, not the mechanisms that could undermine fair play through betting.