The Register Citizen (Torrington, CT)
#WeAreUnited players reach out to California Gov. for help
A group of Pac-12 football players with the #WeAreUnited movement met with officials from the California governor’s office Tuesday to discuss concerns about their schools’ COVID-19 protocols and protecting their college eligibility.
The players hope an executive order from Gov. Gavin Newsom could mandate player-approved, third-party oversight of COVID-19 rules at the Pac-12’s six California schools and ensure players who opt out of the coming season because of coronavirus won’t lose a year of eligibility.
The Pac-12 has said players who opt out will stay on scholarship this season, but whether college athletes would be allowed to preserve their eligibility in that situation is undetermined.
“We really want to be able to move a little faster in getting heath guidelines out there for us,” California offensive lineman Valentino Daltoso told AP during a conference call with several players from the group. “The eligibility piece is huge for us. If you were to opt out without eligibility guarantees you could be effectively ending your eligibility. The governor’s office can help us with that.”
A request from comment from the California governor’s office was not immediately returned.
After about a month organizing behind the scenes, the players took their movement public Sunday, issuing with a lengthy list of demands related to healthy and safety, racial injustice and economic rights. They say if the demands are not addressed they will opt out of the season.
Elsewhere in college sports, the NCAA Board of Governors met Tuesday to consider canceling or postponing fall sports championships in all three divisions, but no decision was made. The board is expected to reconvene Wednesday.
The NCAA has no control over regular-season competition and none whatsoever in major college football, but canceling or delaying championship events it sponsors could influence what conference do with fall sports moving forward.
The Pac-12 football practice is scheduled to start
Aug. 17 with the season slated to begin Sept. 26.
The players with #WeAreUnited are expected to meet later this week with Pac-12 officials, but hope the California governor can expedite their initiative.
“The season is creeping up on us and we have no answers,” Stanford receiver Elijah Higgins said.
Pac-12 commissioner Larry Scott responded Monday to the group’s request for a meeting with conference officials with an letter, which was obtained by AP.
Scott detailed how the Pac-12’s response to COVID-19 and the school’s attempts to play through the pandemic have been guided by the conferences Medical Advisory Committee.
“This committee is comprised of leading experts in the areas of infectious disease and public health,” Scott wrote.