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Big Ten Council of Presidents VOTED to postpone Fall sports


knapplc

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It's about time they go on record. 

 

 

Here's the text of the letter:

 

I write on this occasion to share with you additional information regarding the Big Ten Conference’s decision to postpone the 2020-21 fall sports season. We thoroughly understand and deeply value what sports mean to our student-athletes, their families, our coaches and our fans. The vote by the Big Ten Council of Presidents and Chancellors (COP/C) was overwhelmingly in support of postponing fall sports and will not be revisited. The decision was thorough and deliberative, and based on sound feedback, guidance and advice from medical experts. Despite the decision to postpone fall sports, we continue our work to find a path forward that creates a healthy and safe environment for all Big Ten student-athletes to compete in the sports they love in a manner that helps to prevent the spread of COVID-19 and protects both student-athletes and the surrounding communities.
 
As you are well aware, we are facing a complicated global pandemic with the SARS-CoV-2 virus discovered in November 2019. The first medically confirmed cases did not appear in the United States until January 2020. Over the course of the past seven months, the U.S. has recorded more than 5.5 million confirmed cases of COVID-19 resulting in more than 170,000 deaths, with more than 22 million confirmed cases and 780,000 lives lost around the world.
 
We understand the disappointment and questions surrounding the timing of our decision to postpone fall sports, especially in light of releasing a football schedule only six days prior to that decision. From the beginning, we consistently communicated our commitment to cautiously proceed one day at a time with the health, safety and wellness of our student-athletes at the center of our decision-making process. That is why we took simultaneous paths in releasing the football schedule, while also diligently monitoring the spread of the virus, testing, and medical concerns as student-athletes were transitioning to full-contact practice. 
 
While several factors contributed to the decision to postpone the 2020-21 fall sports season, at the core of our decision was the knowledge that there was too much medical uncertainty and too many unknown health risks regarding SARS-CoV-2 infection and its impact on our student-athletes.
 
Listed below are the primary factors that led to the Big Ten COP/C decision:
  • Transmission rates continue to rise at an alarming rate with little indication from medical experts that our campuses, communities or country could gain control of the spread of the virus prior to the start of competition.
    • As our teams were ramping up for more intense practices, many of our medical staffs did not think the interventions we had planned would be adequate to decrease the potential spread even with very regular testing.
    • As the general student body comes back to campus, spread to student-athletes could reintroduce infection into our athletics community.
  • There is simply too much we do not know about the virus, recovery from infection, and longer-term effects. While the data on cardiomyopathy is preliminary and incomplete, the uncertain risk was unacceptable at this time.
  • Concerns surrounding contact tracing still exist, including the inability to social distance in contact sports pursuant to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines. While risk mitigation processes (e.g., physical distancing, face coverings, proper hygiene, etc.) can be implemented across campus for the student body population, it became clear those processes could not be fully implemented in contact sports.
    • With the start of full-contact practices and competitions, it became increasingly clear that contact tracing and quarantining would risk frequent and significant disruptions to the practice and competition calendar.
    • Accurate and widely available rapid testing may help mitigate those concerns, but access to accurate tests is currently limited.
    • Significant concerns also exist regarding the testing supply chain, generally, for many of our institutions.
Financial considerations did not influence the COP/C decision, as the postponement will have enormous adverse financial implications. We understand the passion of the many student-athletes and their families who were disappointed by the decision, but also know there are many who have a great deal of concern and anxiety regarding the pandemic.
 
Moving forward, we will continue to build upon the framework that our medical experts have developed over the past five months while we take the opportunity to learn more about the virus and its effects. As we expand upon a plan to allow our student-athletes to compete as soon as it is safe to do so, we will keep our focus on creating protocols and standards set forth and established by our medical advisors that are responsive to the medical concerns evaluated by our COP/C.
 
To that end, the Big Ten Conference has assembled a Return to Competition Task Force consisting of members from the COP/C, sports medicine and university medical personnel, Athletic Directors, Head Coaches, Faculty Athletic Representatives and Senior Women Administrators to plan for the return of fall sports competition as soon as possible. In evaluating winter/spring models, we will explore many factors including the number of football games that can reasonably be played from a health perspective in a full calendar year while maintaining a premier competitive experience for our student-athletes culminating in a Big Ten Championship. The Big Ten Conference will continue to collect feedback from student-athletes, families, and other constituents and remains in active discussions with its television partners regarding all future plans.
 
We have tremendous appreciation and understanding regarding what participation in sports means to our student-athletes, their families, our campus communities and our fans. We will continue to make the best decisions possible for the health, safety and wellness of our student-athletes. We appreciate the passion of the Big Ten community and will harness that energy towards providing the best possible experience for all Big Ten student-athletes.
 
 
Kevin Warren
Commissioner
Big Ten Conference
 
 
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Though he states a vote was taken the letter remains lacking as it again leaves the reader to assume false information. B1G should immediately reveal the vote for no other reason than fairness to Kevin Warren. Also, for fairness to fans of the B1G universities and their (the fans) ability to address their (the fans) university officials. Frankly speaking, Kevin Warren is be drug over the coals when in fact those whom had the deciding factor are cowering behind closed doors.

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Just now, Mavric said:

So how is Warren the only one who knows that a vote took place?

 

Is he the only one who knows or is he the one charged with disseminating that information? As Commissioner he's supposed to be the face of the Conference, and it's his job to tell us what happened. That's why the individual schools pay him - so each President/Chancellor doesn't have to answer these questions.

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Just now, knapplc said:

Is he the only one who knows or is he the one charged with disseminating that information? As Commissioner he's supposed to be the face of the Conference, and it's his job to tell us what happened. That's why the individual schools pay him - so each President/Chancellor doesn't have to answer these questions.

 

Other presidents and chancellors HAVE been asked that question and none of them said there was a vote.

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Just now, teachercd said:

Translation:  We are not playing until there is a vaccine.  So...say goodbye to having the possibly the most loaded Big Ten basketball conference shut down as well"

 

Yep, there's zero chance they play the basketball season, either.

 

Although at last check they were still saying it was an option.

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4 minutes ago, Mavric said:

So how is Warren the only one who knows that a vote took place?

 

You really think he would lie about whether or not the Presidents of 14 major colleges voted on something like cancelling their fall sports season???   I mean I guess you could think anything.  To me this whole thing in regards to him especially has gotten way way out of hand and ridiculous.  

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Just now, Mavric said:

 

Other presidents and chancellors HAVE been asked that question and none of them said there was a vote.

 

Because it's not their job to say so. That's the Commissioner's job. 

 

None of them said there wasn't a vote. They just gave a word salad and didn't say much if anything.

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1 minute ago, knapplc said:

 

Is he the only one who knows or is he the one charged with disseminating that information? As Commissioner he's supposed to be the face of the Conference, and it's his job to tell us what happened. That's why the individual schools pay him - so each President/Chancellor doesn't have to answer these questions.

Ehhhh, not really, not in this case, it is not like this is a reporter asking who is starting or if some of the players got free Tats at Inky's down on 4th and Plaza.

 

This is the biggest thing any of these Presidents/Chancellors have EVER been a part of, from the virus to the cancelling of this season.  They should be answering questions.  If anything, they should be begging to get interviewed.  

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Just now, suh_fan93 said:

 

You really think he would lie about whether or not the Presidents of 14 major colleges voted on something like cancelling their fall sports season???   I mean I guess you could think anything.  To me this whole thing in regards to him especially has gotten way way out of hand.  

 

 

There will be PLENTY of people who think that. I get asking questions, especially since the conference brass hasn't been very forthcoming, but you know there will be people who continue to believe Warren ramrodded this through because it was all his idea. Or whatever. 

 

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Just now, teachercd said:

Ehhhh, not really, not in this case, it is not like this is a reporter asking who is starting or if some of the players got free Tats at Inky's down on 4th and Plaza.

 

This is the biggest thing any of these Presidents/Chancellors have EVER been a part of, from the virus to the cancelling of this season.  They should be answering questions.  If anything, they should be begging to get interviewed.  

 

I'm not disagreeing with you. I'm just saying they pay him to answer those questions for him, and until they are forced, they won't go on record. 

 

Just now, Mavric said:

 

Yes, that's exactly what they said.

 

Would you be so kind as to provide a link where any of the Big Ten heads said there was no vote? 

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