North Carolina senior wide receiver Dwight Jones has been reinstated by the NCAA and is eligible to play in the Independence Bowl against Missouri on Dec. 26.
Jones had been ruled ineligible after committing a secondary NCAA violation by allowing his name and photo to be used to promote an event in Burlington, N.C.
According to NCAA rules, student athletes are disallowed from using their name or likeness in the promotion of for-profit entities.
“I apologize to my teammates, the coaching staff, and the University for the poor decision I made to allow my likeness to be used in the promotion of a party given by a family member while still a part of the Carolina football team,” Jones said in a press release Tuesday.
Jones also said in the press release that the event has been cancelled, and UNC’s compliance office sent a cease-and-desist letter to the party promoters.
The AdvoCare V100 Independence Bowl will take place Dec. 26 in Shreveport, La., and it will be the last game of Jones’ football career at North Carolina.
“Coach Withers and I met, and Dwight realizes he made a mistake,” athletic director Bubba Cunningham said in a press release Tuesday. “Dwight has cancelled the party and we have submitted a reinstatement request with the NCAA.”
