NCAA’s coronavirus advisory panel releases statement leading up to SEC, NCAA Tournaments

With the 2020 SEC and 2020 NCAA Tournaments approaching, the coronavirus has become a hot topic nationally.

The NCAA is no different as the organization has set up an advisory panel to help better prepare and understand the issues the coronavirus could potentially cause when it comes to the college sports landscape.

On Friday, the NCAA released the following issue from the organization’s coronavirus advisory panel:

The NCAA COVID-19 Advisory Panel recognizes the fluidity of COVID-19 and its impact on hosting events in a public space.  The panel members believe that we need to better understand COVID-19 while continuing to work with local, state and federal health authorities such as the CDC.  The key is for all stakeholders and athletes to practice risk mitigation at all events.  At present the panel is not recommending cancellation or public spacing of athletic and related events scheduled to occur in public spaces across the United States.

Here is an overview of the members on the COVID-19 Advisory Panel:

• Amesh Adalja, M.D. – Senior Scholar at the Johns Hopkins University Center for Health Security
• Stephanie Chu, M.D. – Team physician, University of Colorado, Boulder; Member, NCAA Committee on Competitive Safeguards and Medical Aspects of Sports
• Carlos del Rio, M.D. – Chair, Hubert Department of Global Health at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health
• Colleen Kraft, M.D. – Associate chief medical officer, Emory University Hospital
• Vivek Murthy, M.D. – 19th Surgeon General of the United States; Member, NCAA Board of Governors
• Mike Rodriguez – Senior director, U.S. Tennis Association and U.S. Open Security
• William Schaffner, M.D. – Professor, Preventive Medicine, Division of Infectious Diseases at Vanderbilt University Medical Center

SDS Staff

Saturday Down South reports and comments on the news around the Southeastern Conference as well as larger college football topics.