There is no reason to expect Macalester’s experience to be any different.Įven if Macalester is testing student-athletes more regularly than other students and staff, the high transmission of the Omicron variant and integration of student-athletes into the larger community presents a danger. In the past month the National Hockey League, National Basketball Association, NCAA Division I football playoff, and NCAA Division I women’s basketball season have encountered player shortages, postponed games and even league suspensions as a result of several athletes testing positive for COVID-19. Professional and Division I athletes, many of whom are tested every day, are spreading the highly transmissible variant amongst each other. Indoor sports competition, particularly without masks like men’s and women’s basketball games, greatly increases the risk of coronavirus transmission. Macalester’s slate of winter sports does not feature any outdoor competition and given the usual subzero temperatures of Minnesota winters it is unreasonable to expect athletes to compete outside. To highlight three: all winter sports are indoors which increases the chances for spread of COVID-19, all other student organizations and cocurricular activities are “encouraged” to hold their meetings remotely and, lastly, the NCAA is a profit-motivated organization that will push the continuation of sports at any cost - even that of student health and safety. There are several problems with their statement, and several reasons why following the National Collegiate Athletic Administration (NCAA) guidelines will not adequately protect our athletes, staff and broader campus community. This protects the health and safety of our athletes, student body, faculty and staff. Macalester can and should suspend in-person athletic competition and practice during the quiet period. “Athletic teams will continue to practice and compete following MIAC and NCAA protocols,” Overvoorde and Walters wrote in their email to the campus community. 31 given the high positivity rates from return-to-campus testing.Īs a sports-loving journalist and club sport athlete, I was interested in the administration’s decisions on club and varsity sports. 19, Macalester announced it would stay virtual until Jan. 5 email to campus, Director of Covid Operations and Special Advisor to the President Paul Overvoorde and Medical Director of the Hamre Center for Health and Wellness Steph Walters laid out Macalester’s approach to the spring 2022 semester in the wake of the Omicron variant. NFL footage © NFL Productions LLC.In their Jan.

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