UCLA football players want outside health official to oversee team

After a virtual team meeting Thursday night, 30 UCLA football players united in support behind a document they believe will protect them in their upcoming return to campus amid the pandemic.

The document, reviewed by the Los Angeles Times late Thursday, asserts that players do not trust UCLA to act in their best interest, particularly in regard to their health, a realm where it says the school has “perpetually failed us,” citing “neglected and mismanaged injury cases.” The document does not provide examples.

The players demanded that a“third-party health official” be on hand for all football activities to see that protocols for COVID-19 prevention are being followed; that anonymous whistleblower protections are provided for athletes and staff to report violations; and that each player can make a decision about whether to come back to Westwood without fear of losing his scholarship or other retaliation.

“These demands reflect our call for an environment in which we do not feel pressured to return to competition, and if we choose not to return, that our decision will be respected,” the document reads. “If our demands are not met, we will refrain from booster events, recruiting events and all footballrelated promotional activities.”

For the Bruins, the clock is ticking. Many players are expected to report to voluntary workouts on Monday.

Starting quarterback Dorian Thompson-Robinson sent out a tweet Friday defending coach Chip Kelly, adding,“Don’t turn this into a feeding frenzy on Coach, this is about the safety of the program as a whole.”