Special to Iredell Free News

RALEIGH — Gov. Roy Cooper on Friday signed an Executive Order establishing rules for how student-athletes enrolled in a postsecondary educational institution in North Carolina can earn compensation or obtain representation, for use of their name, image and likeness while enrolled at the institution.

These rules will set a standard for individual institutions to use as they formalize their own policies and procedures. Cooper intends to work with the legislature on potential legislation to supplement this Executive Order.

“This order ensures that North Carolina has rules in place to let collegiate student-athletes earn compensation from their name, image and likeness. Treating these athletes fairly and uniformly will help our state remain a competitive and desirable place to get educated and compete,” Cooper explained.

On July 1, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)’s new rules took effect, allowing student-athletes to benefit from their name, image and likeness, following the enactment of state laws across the country and the US Supreme Court ruling finding that the NCAA’s restriction of certain benefits for student-athletes violated antitrust laws. The NCAA says these rules will be in place until Congress passes federal legislation setting a uniform standard for name, image and likeness compensation.

At least twenty-five states have enacted laws or issued executive orders allowing for student-athletes to receive compensation for their name, image and likeness, with as many as ten laws and executive orders taking effect Friday.

Under the Order, compensation for a student’s name, image and likeness will not affect a student-athlete’s scholarship eligibility.