The NCAA denied Tuesday Notre Dame’s appeal of a decision to vacate 21 football victories because of academic misconduct, including all 12 wins from the school’s 2012 national championship game run.

In a letter to Notre Dame alumni , University President Fr. John Jenkins criticized the decision, saying the penalty was unprecedented considering who was involved in the misconduct, and the school was being punished for rigorously enforcing its honor code. He called the ruling unfair.

The appeals committee was not swayed and upheld the penalty .

Notre Dame agreed to accept certain NCAA findings and acknowledged cheating involving several football players and a student athletic trainer.

The NCAA stripped Notre Dame of the 21 victories, fined the school $5,000 and placed the school on one years’ probation in November 2016 after finding academic misconduct orchestrated by the trainer.

The NCAA said the trainer was employed by the athletic department.