COLUMBUS, Ohio (WCMH) — The Ohio Attorney General’s Office and the NCAA are both asking for an extension to prohibit the athletic organization from enforcing its Transfer Eligibility Rule until at least the end of the academic year.

In an announcement from Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost on Friday, the two parties asked for an extension of the pause on the rule, stating that it would allow athletes who have been sidelined by the rule to compete through the winter and spring sports seasons without facing uncertainty about their eligibility status.

“We don’t want the college athletes to get caught in the middle of this court case,” Yost said. “The joint motion filed today signifies our shared commitment to ensuring that sports seasons operate smoothly during the legal proceedings.”

Yost announced a seven state lawsuit against the NCAA on December 7, 2023, with the stated intention of restoring fairness, competition, and autonomy in college sports.

College athletic programs with athletes who have transferred two or more times have been faced with the task of consulting their legal teams about players’ eligibility statuses. This uncertainty arose after Yost’s announcement of the lawsuit earlier this month.

A temporary restraining order filed against the NCAA by a federal judge allowed for athletes who had been denied the chance to play immediately to compete in games for 14 days. According to a document circulated by the NCAA, players who take advantage of this window would potentially lose a season of eligibility.

If the judge grants the joint motion filed, a December 27 hearing to decide whether the prohibition should continue until after the case would be deemed unnecessary. A trial date can then be set for after the spring sports season ends.