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NCAA :Sidney status changes but still not cleared to play |
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Friday, 20 November 2009 |
By MATTHEW STEVENS
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The NCAA officially changed the amateur status of Mississippi State freshman forward Renardo Sidney to “under review” Thursday morning.
What would seem like developments toward a future resolution of the ongoing situation, the change is not how the news was interpreted by Sidney’s attorney Don Jackson.
In a statement released shortly after the NCAA’s update, Jackson called the change “insignificant” while he has received “no firm timetable” for a decision by the NCAA Eligibility Center.
“It is my belief, given the history of this case, that there will be further efforts to prolong a certification decision,” Jackson said.
Until Thursday, Sidney had been listed officially as “Not Certified due to Non-Response.” The NCAA stated the new status change “allows the Eligibility Center staff to restart the process of determining whether Sidney meets NCAA requirements for initial eligibility.”
Jackson referenced two NCAA eligibility cases involving former Louisville center Marvin Stone and current Cincinnati forward (both athletes who were represented by Jackson) as examples in how the NCAA used today’s statement to delay a decision.
“The refusal to make a decision amounts to a de-facto suspension,” Jackson said. “He has been presumed guilty, denied eligibility with no evidence of NCAA violations.”
Sidney, a Jackson native, signed with MSU on April 30 out of Los Angeles’ Fairfax High. The 6-foot-10 forward was a McDonald’s All-American prospect, but he has not been able to play in any of the Bulldogs exhibition matches or two regular season games as the school waits on an answer about his clearance.
NCAA spokesperson Stacey Osburn said in a statement released to the media that “some, but not all” requested documents have been received by the Indianapolis office. However, the NCAA also gave an indication that there may be other information being withheld that is holding up a decision of Sidney’s status which is why the case has not come to a conclusion.
“Receipt of the documents is just one of several steps necessary for making a certification decision,” Osburn’s statement says. “All initial eligibility certification decisions are based upon NCAA amateurism guidelines as established by the membership.”
This is a claim Jackson, an attorney based in Montgomery, Ala., loudly refutes.
An NCAA representative reviewed bank deposit information in Jackson’s office on Oct. 30 and Jackson said he has since complied with another documentation requests.
“Although there is no timeline for the Sidney certification decision to be made and all requested documentation has not been received, the Eligibility Center goal is to arrive at a decision as quickly as possible,” Osburn’s statement reads.
The MSU athletic compliance office and Bulldogs head basketball coach Rick Stansbury had no comment on Thursday’s developments.
Sidney watched in street clothes from the bench as Mississippi State defeated Southeastern Louisiana 82-67 at Humphrey Coliseum Thursday night.
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Last Updated ( Saturday, 21 November 2009 )
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