The first conference to cancel its individual basketball tournament prior to March Madness and suspend fall sports due to coronavirus concerns is now the first Division I conference this year to cancel all winter sports.
The Ivy League, which had already decided not to allow any of its sports to start play before early December, announced on Thursday it would not be having any winter sports due to COVID-19, including men’s and women’s basketball.
“Regrettably, the current trends regarding transmission of the COVID-19 virus and subsequent protocols that must be put in place are impeding our strong desire to return to intercollegiate athletics competition in a safe manner,” the Ivy League presidents said in a joint statement. “Student-athletes, their families and coaches are again being asked to make enormous sacrifices for the good of public health — and we do not make this decision lightly. While these decisions come with great disappointment and frustration, our commitment to the safety and lasting health of our student-athletes and wider communities must remain our highest priority.”
In addition to basketball, other sports that are affected include wrestling, indoor track and field, swimming and fencing.
While other conferences did follow the Ivy League’s lead in March and the NCAA basketball tournament was not played, it is unlikely every conference in the country will follow the league’s decision this time around, ESPN reports.
“This is definitely not a decision we want to make, but I know it’s the right decision for the Ivy League,” Robin Harris, the conference’s executive director, told the network.
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