Yo mate, you are wrong. UK colleges do give out athletic s'ships, mostly partial ones. They DO have a collegiate system BUCS and if you compete in this system you should lose eligibility. Brits pretend that this is a "CLUB" system and that's BS. If you run in BUCS sanctioned races, then you should lose eligibility just like us here in the US who compete in the NCAA.You also compete during the academic year for club teams and in road races. US collegians cannot. Most of you take money and stop saying you do NOT. You get your fifth year because you get letters from your Club or School stating that you are ELITE athletes which most of you are NOT.
How many of you actually make the UK teams for any major c'ship? Stop using the BUCS C'ship TRIALS excuse to get another year. Most of you never make the World Uni meet or any other major meet. US coaches need to get on this pitiful reasoning for these guys getting a fifth year. New Mex, Butler, Iona, and all the rest of the Brit schools are getting away with crap. The loop-holes in the NCAA need to be closed. This new 21 year rule does nothing.