Harvard plays Princton in February 2020. Photo: John Jones/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images
The Ivy League has canceled its winter sports for the 2020-21 season, the conference's Council of Presidents said on Thursday.
Driving the news: The announcement comes as states across the U.S. see a surge in new coronavirus cases.
Details: In addition to canceling the winter sports season, the conference postponed the spring sports season through at least February 2021.
- There will also be no competition for fall sports during the upcoming spring semester.
- Training and practices will be allowed to continue, "provided they are structured in accordance with each institution’s procedures and applicable state and local regulations."
- Affected student-athletes will not lose a season of Ivy League or NCAA eligibility, regardless of whether they enroll, the conference said.
- The council added it would continue to "monitor and evaluate the public health climate and consider changes to policies when warranted in order to return to more normal campus operations."
What they're saying: "The unanimous decisions by the Ivy League Council of Presidents follow extended consideration of options and strategies to mitigate the transmission of the COVID-19 virus, an analysis of current increasing rates of COVID-19 – locally, regionally and nationally – and the resulting need to continue the campus policies related to travel, group size and visitors to campus that safeguard the campus and community," the conference said in a statement.
- "Regrettably, the current trends regarding transmission of the COVID-19 virus and subsequent protocols that must be put in place are impeding our strong desire to return to intercollegiate athletics competition in a safe manner."
- The council also said that student athletes, coaches and their families "are again being asked to make enormous sacrifices for the good of public health — and we do not make this decision lightly."
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