IOWA CITY — The University of Iowa athletics department has admitted the school’s football program inadvertently violated an NCAA rule regarding its off-season workout policy, according to documents released to SourceMedia Group by Iowa officials.

The secondary violation, which is filed as Category II, is not considered serious. Iowa officials self-reported the incident to the Big Ten on Oct. 18, 2010 after another institution turned in the school to NCAA authorities. On Aug. 23, the NCAA sent Iowa an official letter of inquiry.

During the summer, the football video staff posted a video on the athletics department public Website featuring football players participating in offseason conditioning drills. The video, which could be viewed by the team’s coaching staff or general public, violates NCAA Bylaw 17.02.13, which mandates off-season workouts to be considered voluntary.

The NCAA asked Iowa to investigate the video and the football program’s summer workout schedule. Through its interal review Iowa disclosed the workouts were voluntary and within the NCAA-mandated eight-week limit.

“The Iowa video and coaching staff indicated that the inclusion of students participating in summer activities was not a reporting mechanism for coaches,” wrote Fred Mims, Iowa’s associate athletics director for compliance, in a letter to Big Ten Commissioner Jim Delany. “The purpose of the video was to allow Iowa fans and supporters to follow the activities of the football program.”

Iowa issued a letter of admonishment and conducted an educational session with the coaching staff. The compliance staff must approve all new video productions in the future.

The violation is the football program’s second since 2007.  Iowa reported a telephone violation Sept. 20, 2009 because of a canceled official visit. It was reported to the Big Ten with no further action.