Big Ten Updates COVID-19 Forfeiture Policy For Remainder Of 2021-22 Athletic Season

The Big Ten announced on Tuesday afternoon an updated forfeiture policy for the remainder of the athletic calendar year as it pertains to the cancellation of conference games due to COVID-19.

The Big Ten Conference has updated its forfeiture policy for remaining 2021-22 conference contests across all sponsored sports.

Full update ⬇️ https://t.co/yeHrg3KcA1
— Big Ten Conference (@bigten) December 28, 2021

“The conference office and all 14 Big Ten member institutions have been in continuous contact about developments related to COVID-19,” Big Ten commissioner Kevin Warren said in a statement. “The well-being of our student-athletes and our entire athletic communities is our top priority and we are updating our forfeiture policy to support their health and safety as well as the integrity of conference competition.”

Effective immediately, if a team is unable to participate due to an outbreak, the competition will not automatically be considered a forfeit. Instead, may be rescheduled, declared a no contest or declared a forfeit in consultation with the conference and institutions involved, with the former responsible for rescheduling the competition.

The number of available competitors, such as at least seven scholarship players in men’s and women’s basketball, and coaches will factor into the decision-making process for rescheduling or cancelling games.

Teams can still compete if they are below that threshold so long as it is deemed safe by medical personnel. However, the opposing team can also determine it is unsafe for the game to be played due to those circumstances.

In such cases, an institution would need to “demonstrate to the conference office, including the chief medical officer, the circumstances that have let to a determination that it would be unsafe to compete.” Any team that does not compete and cannot demonstrate why it’s unsafe to compete will be assessed a forfeiture.

Postponed games that do not result in a forfeit but cannot be rescheduled for whatever reason will be declared a no contest.

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