<p>The University of Georgia gymnastics team lost a scholarship and its head coach's off-campus recruiting will be restricted as part of the penalties for breaking an NCAA rule.</p><p>The rules violation involved a free two-night trip to New York City that coach Suzanne Yoculan gave as a reward in May to six gymnasts who had completed their eligibility.</p><p>The trip was a violation of an NCAA bylaw regarding extra benefits for former student-athletes.</p><p>The rules violation and loss of a scholarship were first reported last month by the Athens Banner-Herald. Details of the trip and sanctions were reported Tuesday by The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.</p><p>Though the infraction normally would be regarded as secondary, it was treated as a major violation by Southeastern Conference commissioner Mike Slive because of the recent rules violations found in the Georgia men's basketball program. Georgia's overall athletic program is on probation for four years after the NCAA Committee on Infractions found academic fraud and improper player benefits in the basketball program.</p><p>Slive ordered the cost of the trip, valued at $730 per gymnast, must be repaid by the former student-athletes to a charity of their choice. Yoculan also must attend an NCAA rules compliance seminar this summer and she will be banned from off-campus recruiting in August, a crucial month because training for Olympic gymnasts ends in July.</p><p>"I had no idea that the NCAA or anyone else would be concerned with a trip that I provided for girls who are no longer competing," Yoculan told the Athens paper. "This rule is not in the NCAA manual interpretation that I studied, or was aware of. Had I known, the trip certainly would not have occurred."</p><p>The NCAA accepted the sanctions imposed by the SEC and did not add any penalties, but Yoculan said the loss of a scholarship is a stern punishment.</p><p>"I just feel like it was bad timing for us," Yoculan told the Atlanta paper. "If it had occurred at a different time when our university was not on probation because of the basketball situation, this would not have happened. It was a secondary inadvertent violation. I don't know of a situation where you'd lose a scholarship for that. That's really severe."</p><p>Yoculan, who has won five NCAA team championships while coaching at Georgia for 20 years, said she agreed with Slive that she should have known the rule.</p><p>"I do know the commissioner felt very strongly about the fact that I've been here 20 years and I should have known the rule," Yoculan said. "I should've thought to check. And he's right. I should have."</p><p>Yoculan was reprimanded by Georgia athletic director Damon Evans, who was out of town Tuesday and not available for comment, an athletic department spokeswoman told The Associated Press.</p><p>The six gymnasts flew to New York on a private jet owned by Don Leebern, an emeritus member of the Georgia athletic board and a member of the Board of Regents. Leebern, chairman and CEO of Georgia Crown Distributing, and Yoculan share an Athens residence. Yoculan refers to Leebern as her fiance, even though Leebern is married to another woman.</p><p>Yoculan said Leebern's role "is not relevant to the violation at all. The violation is that transportation was provided and the trip was paid for and provided by me."</p><p>Chelsa Byrd, Cory Fitzinger, Kinsey Rowe, Sierra Sapunar, Loren Simpson and Marline Stephens were the gymnasts treated to the trip. The group stayed at The Plaza, where rooms are listed at $319 per night.</p>
