As COVID Cancels Games, Conferences Reevaluate Forfeiture Policies

Paul Steinbach Headshot
Todd Greene 9ge J0h Pet Um Unsplash

With a surge in COVID-19 cases keeping some teams from competing, at least four collegiate athletic conferences — the ACC, Pac-12, SEC and Big 12 — are reportedly reevaluating their forfeiture policies this week.

Atlantic Coast Conference athletic directors planned to meet this week to discuss the league policy that makes schools forfeit games if they cannot adequately field a team because of COVID concerns, said ACC assistant commissioner Andy Fledderjohann, as reported by.syracuse.com. The policy was put in place last summer by the league’s Medical Advisory Group (MAG), which meets regularly to discuss Covid issues and set medical parameters for the ACC. It was updated in mid-October.

The forfeit policies initially were enacted to encourage programs to vaccinate their teams against Covid-19. But teams with high vaccination rates across a spectrum of sports are succumbing to positive COVID tests these days.

Log in to view the full article
AB Show 2023 in Baltimore
AB Show is a solution-focused event for athletics, fitness, recreation and military professionals.
Nov 1-4, 2023
Learn More
AB Show 2023
Buyer's Guide
Information on more than 3,000 companies, sorted by category. Listings are updated daily.
Learn More
Buyer's Guide