For better or worse, Jalen Robinette and his fellow Air Force Academy athletes are no longer alone.
Secretary of Defense Jim Mattis signed an order Monday to rescind the pro sports policy that went into effect last July and created an avenue for service academy athletes to go pro immediately. Now, all cadet athletes from the three academies — Army, Navy and Air Force — will be required to fulfill their active duty requirement before competing full-time with a professional sports team.
“As released earlier today, the Office of the Secretary of Defense (OSD) has rescinded the policy to allow cadet-athletes to apply for Ready Reserve status immediately after graduation to participate in professional activities/sports,” the Air Force Academy said in a statement to The Denver Post.