NCAA bet ban pointwoman quitting

Tuesday, May 8, 2001 | 10:27 a.m.

WASHINGTON -- The National Collegiate Athletic Association's top lobbyist and a leading advocate of a bill that would ban betting on college sports announced that she quit her job Monday. The announcement came after a Senate committee hearing last week in which Sen. John Ensign, R-Nev., came within one vote of killing the NCAA-backed bill.

But Doris Dixon said her move had nothing to do with the NCAA losing some traction among lawmakers in its lobbying effort on the betting ban bill. Congress will ultimately approve the bill, despite an ambitious lobbying campaign by Nevada lawmakers and the gaming industry against the legislation, Dixon said.

"In a way, I hate leaving because I think this (legislation) is the right thing to do," Dixon said.

Dixon said she was leaving for personal reasons: to pursue a job as president and CEO of VSA Arts, an international private group based in Washington that puts children with disabilities in contact with writing, dance, music and visual arts programs.