Football players at Ohio State University were asked to sign a waiver acknowledging the risk of contracting COVID-19 when they returned to campus for voluntary workouts this month, the Columbus Dispatch reported.
Athletic director Gene Smith told ESPN Sunday night that the school does not look at it as a legal document, but as a “pledge” in which players agreed to precautionary measures to prevent the potential spread of the coronavirus.
“Allow us to help you so that if we face a situation, our trainers, our strength coaches, our coaches or any athletic administrator sees a student-athlete not wearing a mask or not social distancing, we can say, ’Hey, you made a commitment,’” Smith said. “’You signed a pledge. Your parents signed a pledge. Your parents are a part of this.’”
Waivers may become a common practice among Division I athletic programs seeking to return to practice and start the fall sports season on time. But detractors see the move as a way for the university to reduce liability should one of its athletes catch COVID-19.
One line from the document reads that “although the university is following the coronavirus guidelines issued by the CDC and other experts to reduce the spread of infection, I can never be completely shielded from all risk of illness caused by COVID-19 or other infections.”
Participation in Ohio State’s workouts is voluntary. The NCAA allowed Division I football, men’s basketball and women’s basketball practices to resume this month following a moratorium imposed due to the pandemic.
I’m a buckeye fan. This is wrong.
— OHSportsgirl (@OHSportsGirl) June 14, 2020
They are taking advantage of these college kids. pic.twitter.com/UpMCMuRYqE
• Adam Zielonka can be reached at azielonka@washingtontimes.com.
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