COVID Football Season Cancellation
2020-08-11 · Kevin Warren, Commissioner, Big Ten Conference (Big Ten)
The Big Ten announced indefinite postponement of fall sports just TWO DAYS after proposing a modified 10-game conference-only schedule. The abrupt reversal shocked coaches, players, and fans. Presidents had voted 10-3 for postponement.
What he said
As time progressed and after hours of discussion with our Big Ten Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Big Ten Sports Medicine Committee, it became abundantly clear that there was too much uncertainty regarding potential medical risks to allow our student-athletes to compete this fall.
The mental and physical health and welfare of our student-athletes has been at the center of every decision we have made regarding the ability to proceed forward. Everyone associated with the Big Ten Conference and its member institutions is committed to getting everyone back to competition as soon as it is safe to do so.
The fact-check
- "It became abundantly clear that there was too much uncertainty regarding potential medical risks to allow our student-athletes to compete this fall." — Misleading
- While COVID concerns were legitimate, other conferences played fall seasons successfully. The lack of criteria and abrupt reversal from 2 days earlier suggests the decision was more political than medical.
- "The mental and physical health and welfare of our student-athletes has been at the center of every decision we have made." — Rhetoric
- Student-athlete welfare framing, but students were not meaningfully consulted and many opposed the decision.