Thus it took over three weeks of Al-phones and Gaston tactics before the decision was reached. And aside from raising the question of why the two athletic directors did not think to refer to the NCAA before that time, one is led to strongly doubt the efficiency of communication and coordination between at least two of the athletic directors in this league.

Yet all this could have been avoided if the Ivy Group Committee for Coordination and Eligibility had displayed a little of the initiative that the NCAA did by adopting the rule that finally settled this mess.

This is not to say that the decision reached was by any stretch of the imagination wholly satisfactory and equitable. To be as fair as possible to Harvard, the performances of all the competitors in the qualifying round would have to be examined. If it should appear apparent that the Harvard men (Bernstein and Griswold) would have placed third and fourth with McCann out of the competition, then perhaps the third place points should be scored for Harvard.

But whether this is considered or not or, it is still up to the Ivy Group Committee to correct the omission of any guidelines covering ineligibility after the fact and, as soon as possible to re-evaluate its whole policy of dealing with ineligibilities.

Secondly--McCann's blunder points out that Ivy athletics are not as well acquainted with the eligibility rules as they are expected to be, and that something must be done to protect them from their own stupidity. It now seems necessary to take some measure to periodically, perhaps at the beginning and end of each season, remind every athlete of the rules so that something like this does not reoccur. And the head coach as well as his athletes should be held responsible to see that these eligibility rules are observed.

Finally--the relative ease with which an agent for a professional team with dollar power was able to convince an Ivy athlete that signing a contract for one sport did not sacrifice his eligibility to compete in others should provoke a re-examination of the Ivy League's entire policy towards professional teams.

The channels of communication between Ivy athletes and professional teams should be formalized to a far greater extent. Perhaps no athlete should be permitted to begin contract talks with a pro team until he has completed participation in all sports on the varsity level. Or pro teams should be required to work through the athletic department of the school when making overtures to any particular athlete. In any case, something must be done to assist ivy athletes in their dealings with pro teams.

More importantly, the Ivy League rules of eligibility should be revamped--in an effort to protect a whole team from possible penalties resulting from one person's ineligibility, or as has been made disturbingly clear by now, to protect certain athletes from themselves.