MORGAN STATE UNIVERSITY WRESTLER DENIED OPPORTUNITY TO FINISH COMPETING AT EIWA TOURNAMENT

BETHLEHEM, PA, March 09, 2025 /24-7PressRelease/ -- The Eastern Intercollegiate Wrestling Association (EIWA) is under significant scrutiny due to a conflict of interest stemming from a controversial medical decision that prevented Morgan State University wrestler Yannis Charles from continuing in his match. This incident raises serious concerns about fairness in collegiate wrestling, particularly when athletes' medical assessments are conducted by the opposing school's staff, who may have conflicting interests.

Morgan State University is the only Division I wrestling program at a Historically Black College or University (HBCU) and fields an all-African American lineup, which is rare in the sport. During his match, Charles—who entered as the No. 12 seed—was leading against the No. 5 seed when a controversial slam prompted a concussion evaluation. Although Charles passed the standard concussion test, which was administered according to NCAA rules (A.R.6-5 and A.R.6-6) by medical staff in front of the Morgan State Head Coach and team trainer, a doctor from Lehigh University (the opposing team) claimed that Charles had a cognitive injury, suggesting a possible concussion and spinal injury based on their on-site examination. Despite Charles insisting that he felt fine and successfully passing a second assessment, he was pulled from the match and denied the opportunity to compete.

The conflict of interest is undeniable: the host school, Lehigh University, had their team physician make the final decision, putting Charles's fate in the hands of their doctor who is affiliated with the opposing team. Morgan State's coach, Kenny Monday—the first African American wrestler to win an Olympic gold medal—strongly opposed the ruling but was given no recourse to appeal it. Charles requested a second opinion from an independent doctor, which was denied. If Charles's condition had been genuinely serious, why was there no emergency medical response, and why was he not transported to the hospital for immediate care of a potential spinal injury? There was no neck brace, no ice, no onsite care provided.

To further highlight the questionable nature of the decision, when Charles's request for a second opinion was denied, he sought an independent medical evaluation at the emergency room while the tournament continued without him. There, he was cleared to wrestle immediately by the doctors.

This incident underscores the urgent need for impartial, third-party medical professionals at collegiate wrestling tournaments. When assessments are made by staff affiliated with a competing team, the risk of bias is unavoidable—even if the evaluations turn out to be accurate, which in this case they were not. If the EIWA is committed to fair competition, it must reform its policies to ensure that neutral medical professionals, not individuals with direct ties to host institutions, are responsible for athletes' health evaluations.

While this incident highlights broader issues of conflicts of interest, it also raises concerns about the additional challenges faced by HBCU athletes in predominantly white conferences. Morgan State University, being the only HBCU wrestling program in Division I, has already struggled for recognition in a sport where Black athletes are underrepresented, making up less than 6% of all Division I wrestlers, according to the NCAA.

Supporters of the Morgan State wrestling team are now urging the EIWA and the NCAA to implement immediate reforms to ensure fair medical evaluations, prevent potential conflicts of interest, hold host institutions accountable for biased or questionable decision-making.

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