Ohio State Pauses Workouts for Football, Basketball Teams After COVID-19 Tests

Ohio State University has suspended voluntary workouts for seven sports, including football and both basketball teams, after an undetermined number of student-athletes tested positive for COVID-19. 

The university cited privacy concerns for its reasoning in not disclosing the number of positive tests. Policy dictates anyone who has contracted the virus must self-isolate for at least 14 days and the student-athletes will receive care from Ohio State’s athletics medical staff. 

Ohio State student-athletes returned to campus last month after being away for the first three months of the COVID-19 pandemic. Dave Biddle of 247Sports reported workouts will be suspended for at least one week. 

The university would have been allowed to begin mandatory workouts for its football program, along with all other teams whose seasons begin Sept. 5, on Monday.

Several universities around the country have halted their workouts after athletes have tested positive for COVID-19. It remains to be seen whether college sports will be feasible in the fall with the virus still running rampant across the United States.

The Ivy League announced Wednesday it will not hold fall sports in 2020 because of the pandemic. The NCAA has maintained it will not hold events unless it is considered safe for student-athletes to be on campus.