The NCAA announced in a series of tweets Thursday that Texas A&M cross country runner Ryan Trahan cannot use his status as a collegiate athlete to promote his water bottle company on YouTube. In a video posted Wednesday, Trahan, 17, said he had to file to have his eligibility reinstated because he’s currently considered ineligible while the NCAA investigates how he’s used his name, likeness and status as an athlete to promote his company, Neptune Bottle.
Trahan’s brand sells ecologically friendly water bottles via a YouTube account that has grown to more than 14,000 subscribers.
“These are the two biggest things in my life,” Trahan said, per the Dallas Morning News‘ Ben Baby. “They’re asking me to throw one out the window, essentially.”
So far, supporters on various social media networks have been supportive of Trahan, as evidenced by these comments posted to his latest YouTube video:
READ MORE: Deadspin.com
