Arizona Men’s Basketball Sanctioned By NCAA Over Violations

Phoenix, AZ, United States (AHN) – The NCAA upheld most of the self-imposed sanctions by Arizona’s men’s basketball program, and added more to the university Thursday.

Among the self-imposed sanctions the university announced in February, included the loss of a scholarship for 2011-12 and the reduction in recruitment visits over the next two seasons.

The NCAA reduced even further the official visits coaches could make.

It also stated that Arizona would have to vacate all wins from the 2007-08 campaign after determining it used two ineligible players during that period.

A scholarship for 2012-13 was also taken and a two-year probation was meted to run through July 28, 2012.

Arizona decided in February on a two-year self-imposed ban.

The sanctions stemmed from the involvement of Hall of Fame coach Lute Olson with the promoter of two tournaments, which included the Cactus Classic, that were held over a four-year span on the university campus.

Olson was on medical leave in the 2007-08 season. He returned briefly but decided to retire before the start of the 2008-09 campaign.

Olson, the head coach at the University of Arizona for 25 years (1983-08), won over 780 games and a national championship in a 41-year career in coaching.

Prior to his arrival at Arizona, Olson spent one season as head coach at Long Beach State University (1973-74) and nine years at the University of Iowa (1974-83).

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