Title IX: Some violations tough to prove in college sports

By ERICA HUNZINGER
AP Sports Writer

Title IX athletics violations aren’t as simple as comparing similar teams and seeing how much money is spent on both. Recent Title IX lawsuits and federal complaints have focused on universities that have cut sports teams during the pandemic to save money. The question, in basic terms, is whether the ratio of men’s athletic participation opportunities to women’s opportunities is “substantially proportionate” to undergrad enrollment. But even these cases can be hard to prove under what’s known as the three-prong test, and the general lack of case law in the area can lead to different interpretations by judges across the country.