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Pac-12 Postpones Sports for 2020

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The Pac-12 announced Tuesday its CEO group voted unanimously to postpone football, basketball and all other sports through the end of the year.

The conference said in its press release it plans to reevaluate a return to competition on Jan. 1, 2021. Even then, the conference won’t be aggressive at the risk of student-athletes, according to the statement. With that said, it understands the impact the decision will have on student-athletes.

“All of the Pac-12 presidents and chancellors understand the importance of this decision, and the disappointment it will create for our student-athletes, the coaches, support staff and all of our fans,” said Michael H. Schill, president of the University of Oregon. “Ultimately, our decision was guided by science and a deep commitment to the health and welfare of student-athletes. We certainly hope that the Pac-12 will be able to return to competition in the New Year.”

The Pac-12 announced it was postponing sports about an hour after the Big Ten shut down its fall season. Schill said in a news conference Tuesday afternoon the Pac-12’s decision was on a track “parallel” with the Big Ten’s. In short, he said, the Big Ten has “the same values” as the Pac-12.

In evaluating possibilities for the backend of the pandemic, the Pac-12 will continue to lean on advice from health experts.

“The health, safety and well-being of our student-athletes and all those connected to Pac-12 sports has been our number one priority since the start of this current crisis,” Commissioner Larry Scott said in a statement.

The conference considered a “bubble” environment, similar to what some professional leagues have implemented as they have returned, Scott said. However, the social atmosphere of college itself would make that impossible. Student-athletes are living on campus with their peers, and with little time to plan, the conference “didn’t feel comfortable moving forward,” Scott said in the news conference.

The Pac-12 is also honoring scholarships for the student-athletes impacted by the decision. As part of their scholarships, the student-athletes will continue to have support available.

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