Big Ten postpones fall 2020 sports
The Big Ten announced that fall sports, including football, have been postponed. Fall sports being played in the spring is a possibility.
Kinnick Stadium is seen fom the north end zone at Iowa Football Media Day on Friday, August 9, 2019.
August 11, 2020
The Big Ten Conference announced on Tuesday that it is postponing all fall sports for the 2020 season due to concerns from the COVID-19 pandemic.
The decision includes regular-season competitions and Big Ten championships and tournaments. The conference will consider the possibility of playing these sports in spring 2021.
Football is the biggest sport impacted by the decision, but men’s and women’s cross country, field hockey, men’s and women’s soccer, and women’s volleyball were also affected.
“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,” said Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren in a release. “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.”
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Warren added that while the decision is disappointing for student-athletes and families, he’s been heartened by their resilience and conversations with the conference to this point. He also said that the conference is committed to competing when it’s safe.
The conference said it relied on the Big Ten Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases and the Big Ten Sports Medicine Committee for the decision.
University of Iowa Director of Athletics Gary Barta, UI President Bruce Harreld, or football head coach Kirk Ferentz had not made statements at the time of publication.
This is a developing story, check back for updates.