What was once seen as a heartfelt gesture soon turned into an apparent ‘violation.’ A few months back, a college sophomore was struggling with money, so much so that he nearly dropped out. But much to his gratitude, the local community stepped up with a generous $ 6,000 donation to help him. Well, little did anyone know, this kind act would jeopardize the college track future of one of the best distance runners.

As reported by FloTrack on X, Mohammed Bati, a two-time NCAA Division III cross-country national runner-up and record-setting marathoner for Augsburg University, has been deemed ineligible for competitions after accepting that $6,000 donation. “They said someone paying for my school breaks the rule,” he wrote in a post titled ‘Night Run.’

The NCAA has determined that the funds in question constitute a violation, as they do not align with the established guidelines for acceptable branding or sponsorship agreements. Much to the 26-year-old nursing student’s misery, who remarked, “Because of that, I can’t run indoor or outdoor (track) this year.” This brings an untimely end to his collegiate track career.

In the current NCAA landscape, sponsors may make NIL deals with athletes. However, the NCAA has severe rules prohibiting players from getting monetary gifts or “improper financial aid” from boosters or local communities, since they are considered a threat to its amateurism rules.

Bati, who is originally from Ethiopia, arrived in the United States in 2018 without formal education or proficiency in English. Through determination, he taught himself the language, earned U.S. citizenship, and is now balancing full-time overnight shifts at an assisted living facility as a nursing aide while studying and training at an elite level. His athletic accomplishments are quite remarkable.

A 2:12 marathon debut, four consecutive conference titles, and a second-place finish at the national cross-country championships just last month, where he surpassed his previous school record by 15 seconds in his final collegiate race, breaking his old mark of 23:54.6, established at last year’s Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletic Conference championships.

And earlier this month at the California International Matathon, Bati’s time of 2:12:27 marked on of the fastest finishes by a Div. III athlete and also qualified him for the 2028 Olympic Trials.

But upon learning of the NCAA’s decision regarding his track eligibility, Bati has conveyed his immense disappointment.

The NCAA runner’s honest thoughts on this decision

In a recent statement, Mohammed Bati expressed the challenging circumstances imposed by the NCAA rule. “People helped me with around $6,000 so I could pay for that semester. I’m still grateful for that it was love, it was support, not anything big or business or something bad. Just people helping someone who needed it,” he said.

The runner then added, “Sometimes rules don’t see the human behind the story, but I hope one day, things like helping someone won’t be a reason to stop them from doing what they love.”

At this time, it remains unknown whether Augsburg University or Bati will file an appeal against the NCAA’s ruling. The decision will ultimately decide whether one of Division III’s most distinguished runners is afforded a final season or if his collegiate journey concludes not with the tape of a finish line, but rather with the ruling of the NCAA.