June 11 (Bloomberg) -- The University of Alabama football team must vacate victories from the 2005 through 2007 seasons in which seven players participated while ineligible, the National Collegiate Athletic Association said.

The Tuscaloosa, Alabama, school was also fined $43,900 and placed on probation through June 10, 2012, after athletes obtained free textbooks and gave them to other students, the NCAA announced in a news release. The violations by 201 athletes extended into 15 other sports programs, including men’s and women’s basketball.

Alabama officials appeared before the NCAA Committee on Infractions in February to respond to questions involving disbursement of textbooks during the 2005-06 school year and the fall of 2007. Alabama is a repeat offender, having appeared in 2002 for violations in its football program.

Some Crimson Tide athletes on scholarships receiving free textbooks obtained additional academic materials for other students. Upon learning of the violations, Alabama officials reported them to the NCAA and Southeastern Conference. The school also said in a March 5 news release that it was taking “action to fix its textbook distribution system.”

Of the 201 student-athletes that received “impermissible benefits,” 22 were identified by Alabama as “intentional wrongdoers,” the NCAA said.

2008 Season

The penalties follow a season in which coach Nick Saban led the Tide to a 12-0 record and a No. 1 ranking last year. Alabama then lost to the University of Florida in the SEC title game and to Utah in the Sugar Bowl. Saban replaced Mike Shula after the 2006 season.

Alabama was 10-2 in 2005, 6-7 in 2006 and 7-6 in 2007.

Five Alabama players, including running back Glen Coffee and linemen Antoine Caldwell and Marlon Davis, were suspended in October 2007 for four games after violating school policy on the receipt of textbooks.

In a May 19, 2008, written response to the NCAA enforcement staff, Alabama said that some of its athletes “exploited the university’s textbook distribution system.” The school’s investigation didn’t reveal anyone re-selling the books for cash.

The violation was uncovered at the University’s Supply Store on Oct. 17, 2007, when it was found that a student- athlete’s account had “questionable” textbook charges in excess of $1,600.

The infractions committee noted that the four-highest amounts, ranging from $2,715 to $3,947, were obtained by football players.

The NCAA said that the university failed to monitor its textbook distribution system.

To contact the reporter on this story: Vince Golle in Washington, D.C. at vgolle@bloomberg.net.

Last Updated: June 11, 2009 15:55 EDT