{"id":446740,"date":"2020-09-16T06:48:31","date_gmt":"2020-09-16T13:48:31","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/?p=446740"},"modified":"2020-09-16T06:56:36","modified_gmt":"2020-09-16T13:56:36","slug":"big-ten-conference-expected-to-return-to-football-in-october-what-it-might-mean-for-swimming","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.swimmingworldmagazine.com\/news\/big-ten-conference-expected-to-return-to-football-in-october-what-it-might-mean-for-swimming\/","title":{"rendered":"Big Ten Conference Expected to Return to Football in October; What It Might Mean For Swimming"},"content":{"rendered":"

The Big Ten Conference will be returning to football in October, as first reported by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and confirmed by the conference in a release<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The Big Ten on Aug. 11\u00a0postponed all fall sports seasons<\/a>, including football, because of concerns about the pandemic. The league’s presidents and chancellors voted 11-3 to postpone, with only Nebraska, Ohio State and Iowa electing to proceed. But now that decision has been overturned, as the conference will endorse strict medical protocols in order to conduct a safe season as adopted by the Big Ten Council of Presidents and Chancellors (COP\/C).<\/p>\n

The Big Ten will require student-athletes, coaches, trainers and other individuals that are on the field for all practices and games to undergo daily antigen testing, as noted in a release sent out by the Big Ten conference. Test results must be completed and recorded prior to each practice or game. Student-athletes who test positive for the coronavirus through point of contact (POC) daily testing would require a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) test to confirm the result of the POC test.<\/p>\n

\u201cEveryone associated with the Big Ten should be very proud of the groundbreaking steps that are now being taken to better protect the health and safety of the student-athletes and surrounding communities,\u201d\u00a0said Dr. Jim Borchers<\/strong>, Head Team Physician, The Ohio State University and co-chair of the Return to Competition Task Force medical subcommittee.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe data we are going to collect from testing and the cardiac registry will provide major contributions for all 14 Big Ten institutions as they study COVID-19 and attempt to mitigate the spread of the disease among wider communities.\u201d<\/p>\n

As for swimming and diving, which is a winter sport, a return to the field of play for football could bode well for the other sports later on. Some Big Ten Conference schools have already been able to return to swimming and diving practice, while some still remain on dry land.<\/p>\n

Eventually all Big Ten sports will require testing protocols before they can resume competition. Updates regarding fall sports other than football, as well as winter sports that begin in the fall including men\u2019s and women\u2019s basketball, men\u2019s ice hockey, men\u2019s and women\u2019s swimming and diving, and wrestling, will be announced shortly.<\/p>\n

The Atlantic Coast, Southeastern and Big 12 Conference have been participating in football conference-only games, while the Big Ten and the Pac-12 remained sidelined. The Pac-12 could also be on their way to returning to competition<\/a>.<\/p>\n

The SEC is also the only conference as of today to have released a swimming and diving calendar<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Big Ten Conference Full Statement:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Each institution will designate a Chief Infection Officer (CInO) who will oversee the collection and reporting of data for the Big Ten Conference. Team test positivity rate and population positivity rate thresholds will be used to determine recommendations for continuing practice and competition.<\/p>\n

All COVID-19 positive student-athletes will have to undergo comprehensive cardiac testing to include labs and biomarkers, ECG, Echocardiogram and a Cardiac MRI. Following cardiac evaluation, student-athletes must receive clearance from a cardiologist designated by the university for the primary purpose of cardiac clearance for COVID-19 positive student-athletes. The earliest a student-athlete can return to game competition is 21 days following a COVID-19 positive diagnosis.<\/p>\n

In addition to the medical protocols approved, the 14 Big Ten institutions will establish a cardiac registry in an effort to examine the effects on COVID-19 positive student-athletes. The registry and associated data will attempt to answer many of the unknowns regarding the cardiac manifestations in COVID-19 positive elite athletes.<\/p>\n

\u201cFrom the onset of the pandemic, our highest priority has been the health and the safety of our students. \u00a0The new medical protocols and standards put into place by the Big Ten Return To Competition Task Force were pivotal in the decision to move forward with sports in the conference,\u201d said\u00a0Morton Schapiro, Chair of the Big Ten Council of Presidents\/Chancellors and Northwestern University President, and Chair of the Return to Competition Task Force Steering Committee. \u201cWe appreciate the conference\u2019s dedication to developing the necessary safety procedures for our students and the communities that embrace them.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cOur focus with the Task Force over the last six weeks was to ensure the health and safety of our student-athletes. Our goal has always been to return to competition so all student-athletes can realize their dream of competing in the sports they love,\u201d said Big Ten Commissioner Kevin Warren. \u201cWe are incredibly grateful for the collaborative work that our Return to Competition Task Force have accomplished to ensure the health, safety and wellness of student-athletes, coaches and administrators.\u201d<\/p>\n

The Big Ten Conference will use data provided by each Chief Infection Officer (CInO) to make decisions about the continuation of practice and competition, as determined by team positivity rate and population positivity rate, based on a seven-day rolling average:<\/p>\n