SEC Basketball Tournament to be Played as Scheduled Despite Coronavirus Concerns
The Southeastern Conference issued a statement on coronavirus and health precautions it plans to take at SEC championship events, including this week's men's basketball tournament in Nashville, Tenn.
The league has not made any changes to the schedule or concerning attendance at Bridgestone Arena. Alabama is set to play Tennessee at noon CT, Thursday (SEC Network).
It reads as follows:
The SEC continues to monitor developments associated with the coronavirus (COVID-19) and has not modified the schedule of events related to our men's basketball tournament in Nashville. At this time our focus and expectation is to play the tournament as scheduled. Local authorities have confirmed this approach is consistent with current public health recommendations. We remain alert to any circumstances that could warrant adjustments for the health and well-being of our student-athletes, fans and other participants. We are in continued communication with public health officials and remind everyone to be attentive to everyday preventive actions identified by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (www.cdc.gov).
At this time, the SEC plans to implement the following health precautions at Bridgestone Arena, most of which were also applied during the SEC Women's Basketball Tournament at Bon Secours Wellness Arena in Greenville last week. Similar preventive measures will be taken at the SEC Gymnastics Championship March 21 in Duluth, Georgia:
- Additional hand sanitizers will be present at arena entrances and throughout concourse and in meeting rooms;
- Use of hospital grade disinfectant to sanitize locker rooms before teams arrive and upon departure;
- Sanitization of game balls with hospital grade disinfectant after each practice and game;
- Sanitization of team benches plus band and cheerleader seating areas following each game;
- Hand sanitizers, disinfectant wipes and Lysol spray in team locker rooms;
- Hand sanitizers at scorer's table, in officials' locker rooms and operations offices;
- Signage throughout concourse to provide CDC preventive action recommendations
