The Coronavirus Outbreak effectively ended sports as we know it for right now. Things like the NBA season, the MLB season, and the NCAA Tournament were all postponed or even right out canceled. Unprecedented events call for unprecedented actions. The NCAA was put into the position where they needed to discuss the eligibility of spring and winter athletes. Spring sports were granted a waiver for an extra year of eligibility, while winter athletes were not included.
DI Council grants waiver to allow additional eligibility for spring sport athletes whose seasons were impacted by COVID-19: https://t.co/aC03MEa5UQ pic.twitter.com/XeVaxI85Ib
— Inside the NCAA (@InsidetheNCAA) March 30, 2020
NCAA Basketball fans may immediately feel upset by this news, but it is important to remember that a large majority of the basketball season was over for those athletes. It is unfortunate that many will not get to properly end their NCAA careers, but this is the right decision for the NCAA. The majority of the season for spring sports were lost, and the two cases were massively different. It was not an easy decision for the council to make.
The NCAA Tournament being canceled was a no-win situation, but a move needed to be made to protect fans and players alike. This situation rightly feels unfair and like there aren’t really any winners. That reaction may be fair, but we need to remember it isn’t anyone’s fault. The Coronavirus Outbreak was unprecedented and left organizations with little choice but to cancel or postponed things.
We continue to be impacted by the Coronavirus Outbreak across the globe. It is important to continue to listen to health officials and tr to stay safe. The CDC Website continues to post updates and guidelines. We must come together as human beings in an unprecedented virus outbreak.
