SEC releases statement on impending decision for fall sports

As America continues its battle with the coronavirus, all 14 SEC athletics directors met on Monday at the SEC Office in Birmingham to discuss league and college athletics issues.

“We had a productive meeting on Monday and engaged in discussions on a number of important issues that will contribute to critical decisions to be made in the weeks ahead,” said SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey. “The ability to personally interact over the course of an entire day contributed to the productivity of the meeting.”

This was the first in-person meeting of the SEC ADs since the SEC Tournament in March. They have met multiple times per week via videoconference since the suspension of athletic competition in March due to the pandemic.

Today, the ADs heard a report from the SEC’s Return to Activity and Medical Guidance Task Force and discussed issues relevant to the current preseason calendar and the approaching fall seasons of competition, including an update on current COVID-19 testing procedures.

Among the topics discussed were possible scheduling options for holding athletic competition in the fall of 2020. With things trending toward there not being a college football season this year, it won’t be much longer until we know the fate of the 2020 season.

“It is clear that current circumstances related to COVID-19 must improve and we will continue to closely monitor developments around the virus on a daily basis,” Sankey said. “In the coming weeks we will continue to meet regularly with campus leaders via videoconferences and gather relevant information while guided by medical advisors. We believe that late July will provide the best clarity for making the important decisions ahead of us.”

Time is running out for all of us to get this thing turned around and save fall sports for this year.