The NCAA Establishes a COVID-19 Concern Hotline
It's been a busy week across college athletics, as multiple conferences (MAC, Big Ten, Pac-12) have suspended fall sports competition, while most others continue to press forward amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
For athletes who are still participating in fall athletics, the NCAA has established a COVID-19 hotline for individuals to utilize should there be concerns about safety protocols being followed.
There are specific requirements that schools and conferences as a whole must meet to play sports this fall, and if those requirements are not met, it could put college athletic departments in a difficult position.
"The NCAA has established a phone number and e-mail to allow college athletes, parents or others to report potential return-to-sport concerns. The Association will notify school and conference administrators, who will be expected to review and address concerns," the NCAA said in its official release.
This hotline provides another checkpoint for schools and conferences to follow as the fall approaches. With the pandemic taking different twists-and-turns at a moment's notice, accomplishing the goal of playing fall sports will be a difficult task.
However, with schools within the SEC, ACC, Big 12, and others moving forward this fall, many decision makers believe that athletes can be kept safe if proper protocols continue to be followed.
If protocols are not followed, the NCAA will now be able to actively investigate any claims made on the confidential hotline. Schools will need to be proactive in ensuring that safety remains at the forefront of all decisions as they move forward towards the fall.
