Ivy League rules out playing all fall sports

The Ivy League on Wednesday became the first Division I conference to suspend all fall sports, including football, because of the coronavirus pandemic, leaving open the possibility of moving some seasons to the spring if the outbreak is better controlled by then.

“We simply do not believe we can create and maintain an environment for intercollegiate athletic competition that meets our requirements for safety and acceptable levels of risk,” the Ivy League Council of Presidents said in a statement.

“We are entrusted to create and maintain an educational environment that is guided by health and safety considerations. There can be no greater responsibility — and that is the basis for this difficult decision.”

The decision affects not just football but soccer, field hockey, volleyball and cross country, as well as the fall portion of winter sports like basketball. The league said it hasn’t yet determined whether fall sports can be moved to the spring.

The conference noted in a statement that its schools already are limiting gatherings, visitors and travel for students staff.Although the coalition of eight academically elite schools doesn’t grant athletic scholarships or compete for an NCAA football championship, the move could have ripple effects throughout the big business of college sports.

Also Wednesday, Pac-12 member Stanford announced that it is dropping 11 sports amid financial difficulties caused by the coronavirus pandemic.

The school will discontinue men’s and women’s fencing, field hockey, lightweight rowing, men’s rowing, co-ed and women’s sailing, squash, synchronized swimming, men’s volleyball and wrestling after the 2020-21 academic year. Stanford also is eliminating 20 support positions.

CHARLES KRUPA/AP