Tennis Legend Sounds Alarm On Foreigners Flooding American College Sports

Tennis legend Patrick McEnroe sounded the alarm on foreign athletes flooding American Division I sports Wednesday, urging Congress to pass a bill that caps the number of international students allowed on a tennis team’s roster.

Read more British Government Slaps Special Forces Legend With Injunction During Podcast

“What does a 15 or 16-year-old American kid think when he or she looks around and sees college rosters filled with older, fully developed players all around the world, many of whom have professional experience?” McEnroe said during a congressional hearing for the House Committee on Education and the Workforce. (RELATED: Viral Photo Captures Absurd Death Of Youth Sports)

The former tennis pro is backing a legislative proposal from Republican Michigan Rep. Tim Walberg, which would mandate that schools cap international roster spots at 20%.

He noted that, on average, over 60% of Division I tennis teams are made up of international recruits. For some teams, that number is around 90%.

“At some point, the message changes from work hard, you might earn your opportunity, to maybe that opportunity isn’t there for you anymore,” McEnroe continued. “For millions of kids, college sports is not a professional dream. It’s the next rung on the ladder. Take away enough rungs and eventually kids stop climbing.”

Read more Women Kept Going Missing In One Neighborhood. Then Police Stopped Man For Illegally Parked Car, Made Horrifying Discovery

McEnroe has been pressing this issue for months now, and he’s a hero for doing so. It is absurd that an American university allows international players, no matter how good they are, to take up the majority of roster spots that could have, and should have, gone to equally talented American players.

But McEnroe’s warning goes beyond just tennis. This could become the norm for other sports programs that have a bigger international appeal, such as swimming and water polo, golf, track and field, ice hockey, soccer and gymnastics.

No American student-athlete who can perform at the Division I level – or the Division III level, for that matter – should lose out to an international student. Considering that the best and biggest public universities are funded by U.S. tax dollars, a foreign athlete reaping the benefits of a top-tier athletics program over an American citizen is a big slap in the face.

Although this issue flies under the radar for many Americans, thankfully, McEnroe is getting the attention of lawmakers on Capitol Hill.

Read more Federal Judge Disqualifies, Accuses Top Soros DA Of Possibly Committing A Crime For Trying To Free Murderer