NCAA Hands Arizona Further Sanctions

Filed under: Arizona

The NCAA accepted Arizona’s self-imposed sanctions for men’s basketball violations and then tacked on additional sanctions in an infractions report released Thursday.

The Wildcats were placed on two years probation, ordered to vacate all 19 wins from the 2007-08 season and will lose a scholarship for both the 2011-2012 and 2012-2013 seasons. The NCAA also halved the number of official visits to six per season, instead of 12, for the next two seasons.

However, Arizona avoided any television or postseason bans.

The University will not appeal the sanctions.

“We’re satisfied that the process has reached a conclusion,” Arizona athletic director Greg Byrne said. “We have cooperated throughout and respect the findings of the committee. Now it’s time for us to move forward with a focus on maintaining the highest standards of integrity within our entire athletics program.”

The violations centered around former coach Lute Olson’s relationship with the promoter of recruiting events held on campus between 2006 and 2008. The NCAA investigation found that Olson allowed the promoter of the events to have access to boosters and solicit financial support, which resulted in $197,000 in contributions which were used to fund the events, constituted an impermissible recruiting inducement. Olson agreed with the assessment, according to the NCAA report.

Two athletes, identified as Jamelle Horne and Zane Johnson by the Arizona Daily Star, were ruled ineligible for the 2007-08 season because of their participation in the recruiting events, leading to the forfeiture of wins from that season.

The committee found that Olson, who has retired since his last game in 2007, failed to promote an atmosphere of compliance within the mens’ basketball program.

 

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