Iti Remains Ineligible; Attorney to File Hardship Waiver

Villa Park Principal Fran Roney on Monday denied a request to overturn her athletic suspension of boys’ basketball player Martin Iti and suggested Iti’s attorney file a hardship waiver with Southern Section Commissioner James Staunton.

Ronald E. Lais, Iti’s attorney, said he plans to fax the waiver to the section office today, and Staunton is expected to decide by early next week whether to restore Iti’s eligibility.

If Staunton rules against Iti, Lais can appeal the decision. “I am absolutely certain that [Iti] is going to be declared eligible at some level [of the appeal process], and I’m hoping it’s the next level,” Lais said.

Last month, Roney declared Iti athletically ineligible for one year after determining that he had misled Orange Unified High School District officials about his academic history. Iti, a junior, said he was in the ninth grade when he left Australia in June 1998 to further his basketball career in the United States, but documents obtained from his high school stated he was in the 10th grade. The difference is significant because it would determine the number of semesters of Iti’s remaining eligibility.

Lais has asserted that after traveling to Australia recently to review Iti’s academic history, he believes that Iti was confused about what grade he was in because of differences between the Australian and American school systems.

“He was performing at the ninth-grade level [when he left Australia] and started at the ninth-grade level when he arrived here,” Lais said.

Lais indicated his discoveries in a letter to Roney, who was unswayed. “In my opinion, I have not received any new information,” she said.

Lais believes his client should have four remaining semesters of athletic eligibility, but is now only focused on the two semesters that would allow him to play for the Spartans this season.

The 6-foot-11 center averaged 12 points and 7.6 rebounds per game for Servite last season before transferring in April to Villa Park.