Sidney's eligibility still in doubt

Published Dec. 16, 2009 9:42 p.m. ET

foxsports

The odds of Mississippi State’s talented freshman Renardo Sidney playing this season continue to dwindle.

Sidney’s lawyer, Don Jackson, told FOXSports.com on Wednesday that the NCAA Eligibility Center has requested an additional interview with Sidney’s family next week.

The NCAA has already met with several people close to Sidney as well as a bank official in Los Angeles.

"After several days of interviews in Los Angeles and Mississippi, the NCAA has still not established the existence of any violations in the Renardo Sidney matter,” Jackson said.

The highly touted 6-foot-10 Sidney has been unable to play this season due to an ongoing investigation by the NCAA into his amateurism status.

Sidney and his family hail from Mississippi but moved to Los Angeles prior to Sidney’s sophomore year of high school. The Los Angeles Times reported that the family rented a home valued at $1.2 million.

Jackson told FOXSports.com that he has given the NCAA the documentation — including bank deposits — it has requested. However, he has not turned over detailed bank statements.

"This case represents a distortion of the initial eligibility process,” Jackson said. "In effect, the Eligibility Center’s refusal to act mounts to a suspension without finding a single violation of any type.”

Mississippi State is 7-2 this season without Sidney in the lineup.