Big Ten COVID Cancellation Policy

[ATX_Husker]

Big Ten announces 2021 football season COVID-19 policy

The Big Ten released its COVID-19 policy on Monday morning, and if a team cannot play, it will receive a loss and the other team will get the win. If both teams have to cancel, then it’s considered a no-contest.

In collaboration and communication with the Big Ten Conference Athletic Directors, Chancellors and Presidents, the Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases, and the Sports Medicine Committee – effective today – the conference has determined that if one of its member institutions is unable to play a conference contest due to COVID-19, that contest shall be declared a forfeit and will not be rescheduled. That contest shall be considered a loss for the team impacted by COVID-19 and a win for its opponent in the conference standings. If both of the two competing teams are unable to participate in a scheduled Conference competition due to COVID-19 and as a result the competition is unable to occur on the calendar day on which it is scheduled, the competition shall be considered a “no contest.”

 

[ramelbm]

Sounds reasonable.

 

[RED ED]

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With and to the exception and exemption of any team named osu that has a mathematical chance of making a tournament / playoff that would hypothetically take place at the end of the season. Then those forfeitures would become forfeit.

 

[justino52]

Big Ten teams forfeit if COVID nixes availability

The policy also says that if team performance in the competition does not impact conference standings and/or the involved sport is one in which there are no conference standings, no action will be taken.

So if a team is 2 games up in the division with 1 game to go and can't play but the other team can, they don't get a loss.

The NCAA also updated its COVID-189 policy. Basically if the player is vaccinated they will not be tested.

 

[MRJFB]

Big Ten teams forfeit if COVID nixes availability

The policy also says that if team performance in the competition does not impact conference standings and/or the involved sport is one in which there are no conference standings, no action will be taken.

So if a team is 2 games up in the division with 1 game to go and can't play but the other team can, they don't get a loss.

The NCAA also updated its COVID-189 policy. Basically if the player is vaccinated they will not be tested.

Won't be tested if vaccinated? I guess just jumping thru the statist hoops will suffice.

 

[Doc Fumble]

Given this policy -- and the Pfizer vaccine getting its FULL, non-emergency blessing today, every player and coach and trainer, and student manager, etc., etc., etc., should get vaccinated if they haven't already done so, period.

Yes, there are breakthrough cases with vaccinated people out there, but the fact is that 90-plus percent of the outbreaks are with the unvaccinated.

Frost and Company need to be smart about this. We don't want a preventable, non-football, health issue to derail what we hope will be an exciting, comeback season.

 

[Uenth]

I don't get the lack of testing if vaccinated. We can still catch the crap from the nonvaccinated and, once infected, we can infect other people. DrF is correct that 90%+ of new cases are amongst those who haven't vaccinated but I personally don't want to be responsible for infecting another person.

Because of my job, I don't have to interface with that many people. Even customers who have received both of their jabs are required to mask up if they want me to work on their projects. Early summer I had stopped masking up because GI was in a particularly good place numberwise. In the last 7 days we've had 126 new cases so we're back to masking regardless of vaccination status, which blows large chunks.

Back to the OT, I strongly disagree with the B1G's policy of not testing those student athletes who have been vaccinated.

 

[kmillz]

What happens if OSU is 10-0 and has a player(s) test positive? I think we all know the answer to that.

 

[Jimbosc]

I would guess the B1G got a ton a pressure from schools to exclude vaccinated players from testing - both from a cost basis for all those tests AND due to the likelihood of positives resulting in forfeit. It gives schools tons of leverage over players to get the vaccine - which makes me dislike the policy.

The policy given the number of breakthrough cases with Delta is clearly flawed if your goal is to ensure the spread is controlled if a team has an outbreak. I guess the days of the B1G doing what is best for public health are over.

All that talk last fall on reasons to cancel the season were 1. to avoid lawsuits especially for that heart issue they thought was tied to COVD 2. based on flawed information about COVID. Would not be surprised at all if the B1G looses 1 or 2 players to COVID this year - but I think B1G is convinced that risk is acceptable.

 

[justino52]

I don't get the lack of testing if vaccinated. We can still catch the crap from the nonvaccinated and, once infected, we can infect other people. DrF is correct that 90%+ of new cases are amongst those who haven't vaccinated but I personally don't want to be responsible for infecting another person.

Because of my job, I don't have to interface with that many people. Even customers who have received both of their jabs are required to mask up if they want me to work on their projects. Early summer I had stopped masking up because GI was in a particularly good place numberwise. In the last 7 days we've had 126 new cases so we're back to masking regardless of vaccination status, which blows large chunks.

Back to the OT, I strongly disagree with the B1G's policy of not testing those student athletes who have been vaccinated.

Vaccinated should not be tested routinely per the article. Whatever that means. If unvaccinated are every week then maybe its every 2 weeks or once a month.

 

[thankfulredfan]

Basic interpretation - If a group of players are not vaccinated they could destroy the season for their team

 

[GIJoeRed]

Yeah... I'm not gonna play in this thread other than this post. I spent too much time in the "Ham sandwich scandal" part deaux as it was.

We'll just have to seran wrap the guys during the week I guess.

 

[Jarhead Husker]

I don't get the lack of testing if vaccinated. We can still catch the crap from the nonvaccinated and, once infected, we can infect other people. DrF is correct that 90%+ of new cases are amongst those who haven't vaccinated but I personally don't want to be responsible for infecting another person.

Because of my job, I don't have to interface with that many people. Even customers who have received both of their jabs are required to mask up if they want me to work on their projects. Early summer I had stopped masking up because GI was in a particularly good place numberwise. In the last 7 days we've had 126 new cases so we're back to masking regardless of vaccination status, which blows large chunks.

Back to the OT, I strongly disagree with the B1G's policy of not testing those student athletes who have been vaccinated.

It's bullsh!t, if the concern is really spreading the virus. The pfizer vaccine is down to 40% efficacy vs the delta variant. There will be vaccinated players spreading Covid, and now no one will know who the h$ll it is. How can you quarantine a guy who who is shedding Covid like h#ll if you won't test for it? It is a reward for those who followed what officials were pushing, regardless of the risk, and it will allow all the focus to be on demonizing anyone who hasn't been vaccinated, which seems to be the intent of a lot of the recent policies...it sure can't be based on the science of virus transmission, that's for sure...

 

[valiantsailor]

What happens if OSU is 10-0 and has a player(s) test positive? I think we all know the answer to that.

Very astute observation Ollie.

 

[Uenth]

It's bullsh!t, if the concern is really spreading the virus. The pfizer vaccine is down to 40% efficacy vs the delta variant. There will be vaccinated players spreading Covid, and now no one will know who the h$ll it is. How can you quarantine a guy who who is shedding Covid like h#ll if you won't test for it? It is a reward for those who followed what officials were pushing, regardless of the risk, and it will allow all the focus to be on demonizing anyone who hasn't been vaccinated, which seems to be the intent of a lot of the recent policies...it sure can't be based on the science of virus transmission, that's for sure...

Yeah, that's why I question why we're not testing everyone. I'm sure the AD's can get more tests since they got them last year.

I won't go into my beliefs on vax'ing as that's too off topic for this thread but I think that all players need to be tested equally. PERIOD!

 

[MRJFB]

It's bullsh!t, if the concern is really spreading the virus. The pfizer vaccine is down to 40% efficacy vs the delta variant. There will be vaccinated players spreading Covid, and now no one will know who the h$ll it is. How can you quarantine a guy who who is shedding Covid like h#ll if you won't test for it? It is a reward for those who followed what officials were pushing, regardless of the risk, and it will allow all the focus to be on demonizing anyone who hasn't been vaccinated, which seems to be the intent of a lot of the recent policies...it sure can't be based on the science of virus transmission, that's for sure...

Amen!

These policies seem more intent on sifting the good little soldiers from the more independent types rather than doing the most good.

 

[justino52]

Yeah, that's why I question why we're not testing everyone. I'm sure the AD's can get more tests since they got them last year.

I won't go into my beliefs on vax'ing as that's too off topic for this thread but I think that all players need to be tested equally. PERIOD!

Money. That is part of the reason I believe. Or in part the risk of losing even more money. It appears to me that the NCAA (Big 10?, AD's?, sports programs?) is basically saying, if you are vaccinated, we are not testing you. You can't find anything if you are not testing for it. We don't have to cancel games if we don't find anything. Its the decision of do we risk testing everyone once a week or more and risk having 2 or 3 games in a row cancelled or do we not test as often and hope that we can make it a whole season without getting a bunch of people sick and derailing the season all together.
The other part is the more political part of do we treat everyone the same if they get the shots or not? I think that is part of not testing everyone the same amount, not wearing masks, being allowed into an event or place of business, etc. Being told to get it and all that and then coming back and saying, well we are still treating you as if the shots do not matter.
That's my take.

 

[Doc Fumble]

Basic interpretation - If a group of players are not vaccinated they could destroy the season for their team

It seems a no-brainer to me for the Athletic Department to require vaccinations for all of its student-athletes, coaches, trainers, student managers, etc. The last thing we need is for an off-the-field health issue to mess up our season.

 

[Uenth]

Money. That is part of the reason I believe. Or in part the risk of losing even more money. It appears to me that the NCAA (Big 10?, AD's?, sports programs?) is basically saying, if you are vaccinated, we are not testing you. You can't find anything if you are not testing for it. We don't have to cancel games if we don't find anything. Its the decision of do we risk testing everyone once a week or more and risk having 2 or 3 games in a row cancelled or do we not test as often and hope that we can make it a whole season without getting a bunch of people sick and derailing the season all together.
The other part is the more political part of do we treat everyone the same if they get the shots or not? I think that is part of not testing everyone the same amount, not wearing masks, being allowed into an event or place of business, etc. Being told to get it and all that and then coming back and saying, well we are still treating you as if the shots do not matter.
That's my take.

As far as exposure to other folks who are infected, or potentially infected, you need to as far as testing goes. The shot doesn't mean that you'll never get COVID-19. What it means is that if you are exposed and test positive, you will probably not need hospitalization and shouldn't die from it. But you are able to infect other folks, same as non vax'd folks and that's why the testing needs to be done consistently. Or at least that's my opinion.

The stuff that can make this political, I'm not going there.

 

[justino52]

As far as exposure to other folks who are infected, or potentially infected, you need to as far as testing goes. The shot doesn't mean that you'll never get COVID-19. What it means is that if you are exposed and test positive, you will probably not need hospitalization and shouldn't die from it. But you are able to infect other folks, same as non vax'd folks and that's why the testing needs to be done consistently. Or at least that's my opinion.

The stuff that can make this political, I'm not going there.

We've gotten to where we are treating the vaccine as you have it, you don't need to do what the people who have not gotten it have to do. That's what venues, arena's etc are doing in the sports world. That's where we have been headed for awhile. That's what those in charge are driving at this point. Government officials, doctors, scientists, etc. Right wrong or otherwise. Testing is a part of that. Testing is being tied to vaccinations. You get vaccinated, you don't get tested as much. Again, right wrong or otherwise. You got the vaccine, you don't need to mask up here, there, other places. Whether you agree or I agree that there should be equal testing for everyone or equal access or lack of access to a venue because of vaccines or masking or any of that is what the message currently is. One can get the shots, still get sick, still infect someone else but if you are told you can go here or there because you have the vaccine and don't have to mask up or be tested, you probably aren't. You being people in general.
That's my deal on it, if the NCAA has told teams you don't need to test vaccinated athletes as often because that is what whomever doctors or science or advisors told them, that is what they will do. The more we go back to hey, you have it you still have to do everything that those that didn't take it have to do, people really begin to lose any faith in any of the systems driving it. Right or wrong, we as a people have long past the point of doing things to protect others. If we did, we would have been wearing masks around sick people and staying home when we are sick years and years ago. The fact it took a pandemic for people to wash their hands shows me that.
Anywho, I'm just trying to show the reason I think the NCAA comes up with the regulations they do.