Djavadian Got Money From UCLA : Colleges: Coach says he loaned Armenian expatriate funds for class. USC claims diver is a Trojan.

Arsen Djavadian, the man without a country, is caught in another web. This time, it’s between UCLA and USC.

Djavadian, who defected from Soviet Armenia in July 1990 during the Goodwill Games, is seeking asylum and looking for a local college to dive for.

UCLA and USC have vied for the talented tower specialist, but the Bruins might lose by default.

He could be ruled ineligible at UCLA because Bruin swimming Coach Ron Ballatore paid for Djavadian’s English as a Second Language class in UCLA Extension.

Ballatore’s personal check for $485 was meant as a loan that was to be repaid immediately, according to Djavadian. At enrollment time, Djavadian did not have enough money for the class, which already had started.

Ballatore admitted loaning the money to Djavadian on Jan. 7. He said he paid the fee “only because the class had started, and he said he’d pay me back the next day. And he did pay me back, although it wasn’t the next day. I didn’t do it to cheat in any way, but still, I wish I hadn’t done it.”

Ballatore said he was not aware it was an NCAA violation. He said that he reported it to the UCLA athletic administration Thursday, after he became aware that there might be a problem.

NCAA rules prohibit such loans to prospective student-athletes, although emergency situations are taken into consideration, according to Rich Hilliard, a director of enforcement for the NCAA, who would not speak directly of the Djavadian case.

Although Djavadian needed the course to attend UCLA for the spring quarter, beginning in April, Trojan diving Coach Rick Earley said Thursday that Djavadian has already enrolled at USC for the spring semester, which began last week. Earley said Djavadian will make his debut for the Trojans on Jan. 31 against Stanford.

Djavadian said Thursday, however, that he is not enrolled at USC. He said he has been on campus the past three days, taking tests, not classes.

Djavadian enrolled in college in Armenia in the fall of 1988, so his eligibility is limited to this season and the ‘92-93 season, because Division I athletes must complete their eligibility in five years.