WASHINGTON _ Republican Sen. Mitt Romney issued a stern warning to the NCAA on Wednesday over its treatment of college athletes.
"I know there are people who think we can hold this off," Romney said. "We're not going to make a change here. But the reality is Congress is going to act.
"We're coming for you," he said. "We're coming to help these young athletes in the future, and the athletes of today, make sure that they don't have to sacrifice their time and sacrifice, in many cases, their bodies without being fairly compensated."
Romney, a first-term senator from Utah who was the GOP nominee for president in 2012, is often credited with turning around the 2002 Salt Lake City Winter Olympics.
He made his NCAA remarks at a round-table discussion on Capitol Hill hosted by Rep. Mark Walker, a North Carolina Republican. Walker introduced a bill in March that would stop the NCAA from prohibiting college athletes from profiting off their name, image and likeness.
A similar bill _ the "Fair Pay to Play Act" _ was passed and signed into law in California this summer, setting off legislative efforts in a dozen states. The legislation would allow college athletes to endorse products, get paid for signing autographs or collect an appearance fee, for example. It would not require universities or colleges to pay the athletes for playing or make them university employees.
Now, college athletes are not allowed to make money off their name, image and likeness.
Walker said the NCAA was invited to participate in Wednesday's 90-minute event, but declined. The NCAA has a working group studying the issue of name, image and likeness rights and is expected to announce its findings by the end of the month.
Romney said Walker's bill has a "great deal of merit." But he said he would meet with supporters and opponents of the issue over the next few weeks before deciding what kind of legislation to introduce in the Senate.
"I do believe we have to take action," Romney said. "I'm convinced that we can adjust and we can address the extraordinary unfairness without in any way sacrificing the amateur nature of college sports or its attractiveness and impact on the American public."
