Ogbongbemiga Posts on Twitter that He Tested Positive for COVID-19
STILLWATER -- Oklahoma State senior linebacker Amen Ogbongbemiga has gone on Twitter and posted that he tested positive for the COVID-19. Ogbongbemiga started his Twitter message by saying that he attended a protest in Tulsa and was protective of himself, and presumably others.
It is unclear if Ogbongbemiga was one of the players to report to Oklahoma State with the first wave of players on Monday that were tested. We know that a lot of offensive skill players were in the group including another Canadian Cowboy in running back Chuba Hubbard. We also know that Hubbard was with Ogbongbemiga early in the pandemic spending spring break and a significant time after that in Baltimore visiting former Cowboys running back Justice Hill.
Other players we know reported on Monday and were tested including running backs L.D. Brown, Dezmon Jackson, and Deondrick Glass. Also included in the first phase of players were receivers Tylan Wallace, Landon Wolf, Dillon Stoner, and Langston Anderson as well as quarterback Spencer Sanders.
Oklahoma State would not confirm any of the players reporting and would not confirm if Ogbongbemiga was among them.
The major protest in Tulsa was on Sunday night in downtown Tulsa.
Oklahoma State University athletics has been very open in reporting the procedure and protocols they are using in bringing players back. The process is very clear. If Ogbongbemiga was a player that reported back, was tested, and it is positive then he will go into special housing and quarantine as described in the protocols.
From the Oklahoma State athletics protocols for players reporting back to campus:
What happens if a student-athlete tests positive for COVID-19?
- If a student-athlete, coach or support staff member tests positive for COVID-19, they will enter the quarantine protocol per medical, local/state health department and university guidelines and will begin to receive the appropriate monitoring and treatment from the team physician, athletic training staff and any other medical consultants.
- The positive student-athlete will be moved to separate housing designated by OSU for quarantine purposes.
- Appropriate contact tracing as per local/state health department and university guidelines will begin and all that have been in contact will be instructed to quarantine and have symptoms monitored for a period determined by health and medical officials. Contact tracing will begin with the student-athlete’s cohort/workout group.
- After the determined quarantine time, if the traced contact group is not showing symptoms, they will be retested for COVID-19 prior to resuming activities. Upon receiving a negative test, they will await specific instructions from the team physician and/or the athletic training staff regarding a return to activities.
- Upon recognition of symptomatic student-athletes and/or staff in the west end zone facility, the person will immediately be referred and directed to OSU University Health Services (or Stillwater Medical Center if after working hours) for evaluation, testing and treatment.
- If needed, transportation to University Health Services or Stillwater Medical Center for symptomatic student-athletes will be provided from athletic training staff wearing appropriate personal protective equipment.
Ogbongbemiga last season was one of the best players on defense in the Big 12 and formed as good a linebacker duo as the Cowboys have had in some time while teaming with Malcolm Rodriguez as both were over 100 tackles on the season and both were very disruptive for opposing offenses.
He is a three-time Academic All-Big 12 honoree, was second-team All-Big 12 according to the league's coaches last season, and was voted by his teammates as a captain.
Ogbongbemiga posted on Twitter this weekend a profound message with regard to the protests over the death George Floyd at the hands of a police officer in Minnesota. Ogbongbemiga's post was pertaining to his involvement in football.
"When things of this nature occur, I tend to leave myself out if it to avoid unnecessary argument and confusion ... But anyone that knows me know that I carefully analyze situations from both perspectives to try to come up with a solution.
"In a world where there seems to be so much tension between people of opposite races, I have found myself to be fortunate enough to be in a profession where those barriers are broken on a daily basis. I have been blessed to be able to build relationships with people who I may never have got the chance to talk to due to us being in different social classes and I am sure the same goes for them. The profession that I include myself in has made it to where no matter what race you are, there is one common goal in mind and to achieve that goal you have to be able to assemble with people of all backgrounds.
"Throughout the many years that I have played football, I truly believe that has been done successfully and I have seen polar opposites come together to form a bond stronger than you could ever imagine. I just hope people that I have built relationships with can continue to educate their future children, who are the children of our future, to understand that at the end of the day we are all one. We are all the same and should be treated the same.
"Thankfully, a lot of teammates of mine have realized that because they have been blessed to participate in such a great sport that provides unity. I pray that one day people from all professions and people from all different backgrounds can realize the same."
If Ogbongbemiga has reported to Oklahoma State then it is pretty clear where this goes now as it is spelled out precisely in the protocols. If not, Ogbongbemiga would be tested again when he reports to Stillwater.
