President Trump threw his support for college football to be held in the fall, tweeting Monday that “student-athletes have been working too hard for their season to be cancelled.”
Trump’s tweet included the hashtag “#WeWantToPlay,” which has become an unofficial slogan for college athletes vying to play during the coronavirus pandemic.
Trump’s message also came in response to Clemson star Trevor Lawrence, who tweeted “#WeWantToPlay” and included a picture of a statement that includes a list of demands for football to be played in the fall. The message was also shared by prominent stars like Ohio State quarterback Justin Fields.
The student-athletes have been working too hard for their season to be cancelled. #WeWantToPlay https://t.co/lI3CCKZ4ID
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) August 10, 2020
“We all want to play football this season,” the statement read. “Establish universal mandated health & safety procedures and protocols to protect college-athletes against COVID-19 among all conferences throughout the NCAA. Give players the opportunity to opt out and respect their decision. Guarantee eligibility whether a player chooses to play the season or not.
“Use our voices to establish open communication and trust between players and officials; ultimately create a College Football Players Association [with] representatives of the players of all Power 5 conferences.”
Power 5 conference commissioners held a call Sunday to discuss the viability of a season in the fall. Some conferences like the Mid-American Conference have already canceled football in the fall, aiming to hold it in the spring instead.
Trump was greeted with a warm reception when he attended the national championship game between Clemson and LSU in January.
• Matthew Paras can be reached at mparas@washingtontimes.com.
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