The University of Connecticut team canceled its 2020 season amid the ongoing coronavirus pandemic.
UConn’s athletics branch made the announcement Wednesday, saying athletes would continue to be fellows to continue their courses, practically or in person, as full-time students. Team members will also continue to gain benefits from student-athlete services, as well as access to all designated facilities.
“After receiving the recommendation of public and state fitness officials and consulting with football students-athletes, we don’t have to compete on the grid this season,” said athletics director David Benedict. “The demanding safety situations created through COVID-19 place our student-athletes in football at an unacceptable point of risk.”
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The team returned to campus in early July and has reported any positive coVID-19 cases since. However, players still think it would be better to do gaming backing vocals this season.
“Mandatory measures to mitigate the threat of football-athlete students contracting coronavirus do not lead to optimal delight for our team,” Benedict added. “Ultimately, students-athletes would prefer to maintain their eligibility year to compete in more typical cases in the 2021 season.”
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Head coach Randy Edsall subsidized the decision and said it was “the most productive decision” for the team.
“We have committed and listened to the considerations of our student-athletes in football and this is the most productive resolution for their health, protection and well-being,” Edsall said in the press release. “Our team is united in this technique and we will use this time to continue the progression of players within the program and prepare for the 2021 season.”
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UConn football players also issued a joint approval of the department’s resolution to cancel their season.
“As a team, we have the complete resolve not to compete in 2020. We have many fitness disorders and we don’t know enough about the possible long-term effects of COVID-19 contraction,” it reads. “In addition, we didn’t have the most productive time to exercise mentally and physically to be well prepared to compete this season. We love this game and we love competing. We arrived on campus in early July knowing that the pandemic would be a challenge. However, we now seem to be very unlikely to overcome these demanding situations.”
Elsewhere, universities are grappling with decisions to reform or continue athletics as coronavirus continues across the country.
Last week, more than a dozen players from the Rutgers University football team conducted COVID-19 screening. The outbreak is believed to come from a campus party.
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