PIAA Executive Director Bob Lombardi told the PA Athletic Oversight Committee yesterday that the Wolf Administration could give “no specific medical or research reason” that high school sports could not be played this fall, and that the Department of Health also didn’t have any data to support Governor Tom Wolf’s recommendation that sports not be played until next year.
Earlier in the day, Health Secretary Dr. Rachel Levine admitted that she and Wolf based their recommendations on data from other states, but did not say what data and from which states.
Lombardi told the committee that the PIAA believes it is prepared to play this fall.
Not only does the PIAA believe sports can be safely played, Lombardi told the committee that it’s important that spectators be allowed to attend, particularly family members of the athletes.
Lombardi told the committee that the PIAA looked into insurance should a legal issue arise due to an athlete contracting Covid-19 and found that it’s cost prohibitive, so they’d like the state to provide legal coverage.
Senator Scott Martin, who is also a football coach, has been a passionate advocate of playing the fall sports seasons, and he saluted all of those who this summer have proven it’s possible with proper protective steps against the virus.
The PIAA will meet on Friday to decide its next course of action.
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