FILE PHOTO: Apr 3, 2017; Phoenix, AZ, USA; North Carolina Tar Heels head coach Roy Williams reacts against the Gonzaga Bulldogs in the second half in the championship game of the 2017 NCAA Men's Final Four at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports/File Photo
(Reuters) - The University of North Carolina has avoided major penalties for running sham classes taken by scholarship athletes after a probe found they did not violate National Collegiate Athletic Association academic rules, the sports body said on Friday.
Had the NCAA infractions panel found the classes existed solely to benefit athletes, the university could have faced penalties such as having its powerhouse men's basketball team barred from playing in the national championship tournament.
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