Former University of Southern California star running back Reggie Bush, who forfeited his 2005 Heisman Trophy, after an NCAA investigation found he received impermissible benefits while at school, says he wants his trophy and records to be reinstated. The NCAA granted students the right to profit off their names, images and likenesses, this week. The decision comes after decades of legal, political, and public pressure.
“We left multiple messages for Michael Comerford, the President of the Heisman Trust, but instead received a call from Rob Whalen, the Executive Director, who stated that Mr. Comerford would not be calling us back and that, in any event, they could not help us,” Bush said in a statement, explaining his attempts to see how his records will be affected.
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Bush concluded that his success came “solely” off the success of his hard work and performance: “It is my strong belief that I won the Heisman Trophy ‘solely’ due to my hard work and dedication on the football field and it is also my firm belief that my records should be reinstated,” he said.
In addition to Bush’s records being vacated, the NCAA put the USC football program on four-year probation.
Check out Bush’s statement below.
[Via]