The Pac-12 extended its previously enacted suspension of organized team activities through May 31, the conference announced in a statement Monday morning.
The extension comes after the Pac-12 canceled all sports competitions for the 2019-2020 academic year on March 14 to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, which included its prior suspension of team activities.
Read More: Pac-12 conference cancels all sports for 2019-20 academic school year
Arizona now has over 1,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19, with community spread becoming "widespread," according to the Arizona Department of Health Services.
The conference laid out key points of enforcement, including:
- No organized, in-person team activities of any type;
- No in-person voluntary workouts, film study sessions, meetings, technique drills or practices of any type;
- Virtual or online supervised voluntary workouts and skill instruction are not permitted, regardless of location;
- Virtual group activities, including film study, are permitted to two (2) hours per week for football and four (4) hours per week for all other sports. We are appealing to the NCAA to increase the two-hour football limit in the near future;
- Coaches can recommend written, self-directed workout plans, and taped demonstration videos on workout plans are allowed in order to demonstrate proper form and technique;
- In-person, on-campus nutrition may be provided in circumstances where student-athletes are unable to leave campus, and off-campus nutrition is limited to distribution of products normally available on campus;
- It is fully permissible to provide non-athletically related support to student-athletes, including sports medicine treatments, physical therapy and rehabilitation; academic support; and mental health and wellness support; and
- It is permissible for institutions to provide off-campus student-athletes with apparel and personal equipment that is regularly available to student-athletes when they are on campus for conditioning workouts. It is not permissible to rent, purchase or arrange for conditioning or strength training equipment or machines.
Certain exceptions of the suspension could be made, "based upon student-athlete well-being." The Pac-12 will make, "periodic re-evaluations" over the policy based on a change in circumstances.
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Jeffrey Horst is the digital editor-in-chief of The State Press. He previously served as the publication's sports editor and worked at Cronkite News and ArizonaSports.com.
