Big 12 Commissioner Urges Athletes to Get Vaccinated

Brock Fritz Headshot

Big 12 commissioner Bob Bowlsby said Wednesday that it is “very short-sighted to not get vaccinations.”

Speaking at Big 12 football media days in the lead up to the 2021-22 athletic calendar, Bowlsby said the conference is urging all athletes to get vaccinated against COVID-19 — for health and competitive reasons. However, while some schools across the country are requiring students to get the vaccination in order to return to campus, the Big 12 won’t mandate the shot for athletes.

“I think it’s very short-sighted to not get vaccinations. Even if the Delta variant weren’t around, it makes sense to get vaccinated,” Bowlsby said Wednesday, according to The Associated Press. “If indeed the Delta variant is as virulent and as infectious as it’s been reported to be, not getting vaccinated, you’re rolling the dice in terms of whether you’ll contract the virus. And beyond that, for a student-athlete, you’re also rolling the ice on whether or not you’re going to be able to participate because you’re going to be in a testing protocol if you’re not vaccinated.”

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