LHSAA blocks son with autism from wrestling [Video]

A Covington boy with autism is eligible again after the Louisiana High School Athletic Association blocked him from participating in wrestling competitions. Jennifer Martinez told WDSU that her son John has wrestled since he was 6 years old and began competing for St. Paul’s Lasallian Catholic School in the eighth grade.Due to him attending a private school and taking special education courses, Martinez says the LHSAA said he was ineligible.The family filed for an emergency injunction, allowing John to compete in his sophomore year after being benched during his freshman seasonIn addition, the family filed a lawsuit.That lawsuit was settled last week, Martinez said, only under the agreement the LHSAA would change the rules for students with exceptionalities to compete at private schools. Unfortunately, the day after the settlement, John was deemed ineligible again by the agency and had to forfeit his win.Martinez says competing has instilled a sense of …