NCAA Establishes COVID-19 Concern Hotline

The NCAA Board of Governors has established a COVID-19 concern hotline for college athletes, parents and others to report potential return-to-sport concerns.

The NCAA Board of Governors has established a COVID-19 concern hotline for college athletes, parents and others to report potential return-to-sport concerns.

According to the NCAA's release, the organization will notify school and conference administrators if they have been contacted via phone or email, who will then be expected to review and address concerns.

The NCAA's announcement of the hotline comes one day after both the Big Ten and Pac-12 announced their decisions to postpone fall sports. The Big 12 is currently continuing to pursue playing sports this fall and announced a new football schedule on Wednesday. 

The SEC and ACC are also still planning to conduct their fall seasons.

SEC commissioner Greg Sankey release a statement Tuesday evening saying, in part, "I look forward to learning more about the factors that led to the Big Ten and Pac-12 leadership to take these actions today. I remain comfortable with the thorough and deliberate approach that the SEC and our 14 members are taking to support a healthy environment for our student-athletes."

The ACC said in a statement that it will "continue to make decisions based on medical advice, inclusive of our Medical Advisory Group, local and state health guidelines, and do so in a way that appropriately coincides with our universities' academic missions."

As a result of the coronavirus pandemic, the NCAA says it has directed schools and conferences to meet certain requirements related to health and safety. 

"The board has determined that it will only support moving forward with fall championships and other postseason play if strict conditions are applied and adhered to and there is significant reduction in COVID-19 spread," the NCAA said in a release dated August 5.