Complaint Prompts Santa Barbara to Forfeit 7 Wins : Prep basketball: Ventura told Southern Section of possible violations involving exchange student.

In response to a complaint to the Southern Section by Ventura High, Santa Barbara High officials said this week that the boys’ basketball team will forfeit seven victories in which a foreign exchange student was used. All of the forfeits are nonleague games and three are against teams from the region.

Teodor Russinov, a 6-foot-5 forward from Bulgaria who averaged 20 points through 12 games, has been declared ineligible by the Southern Section until further review because he is not part of the California Interscholastic Federation’s 39 approved foreign-exchange programs.

“In my opinion, at this time, Santa Barbara did not do things by the numbers,” Southern Section Commissioner Stan Thomas said.

Although Thomas said that the section has not yet set a date for a hearing, Santa Barbara is informing each of the seven opponents, including Channel Islands, Buena and Ventura, of their forfeit victory. Russinov did not play in any Channel League games.

“In essence, we’ve been directed to do that by Mr. Thomas,” Santa Barbara Principal Charlie Nelson said. “The Southern Section declared (Russinov) ineligible and he will remain so until they indicate otherwise.”

The losses drop Santa Barbara’s record from 12-5 to 5-12.

According to Thomas, the Southern Section also is investigating whether Santa Barbara Coach Bob Purdy used undue influence in housing Russinov and a foreign student who played on Santa Barbara’s team that won the Southern Section Division I-A title last season.

“If they lived with (Purdy), it speaks of undue influence,” Thomas said.

Purdy, meanwhile, blasted the Southern Section and Ventura High. He claimed that each has been vindictive toward his program. “In my 15 years of coaching, this is the worst thing that has happened to me,” Purdy said. “I’ve been shot at by BB guns and played in gyms where it’s 100 degrees, but this tops it all.”

The discord has fueled a feud between Purdy and Ventura Coach Dan Larson, who exchanged words after a league game last season.

“Ventura didn’t even bother coming to us with it,” Purdy said. “They went straight to the CIF, and that’s not right.”

Larson, however, holds a different view.

“We tried to go through Santa Barbara channels but were treated quite rudely,” Larson said. “We’ve had a real limited role. We just asked (the Southern Section) for an inquiry because, if nobody does, nothing happens. I’m proud of what we’ve done.”