SEC honoring scholarships for athletes opting out due to coronavirus concerns

The SEC joins the Pac-12 and Big Ten in allowing students to sit out the 2020 season and keep their athletic scholarships.

The SEC announced it will honor the athletic scholarships for any student-athlete who chooses not to participate in the 2020 season due to COVID-19 concerns. While there is no guarantee yet the seasons will even be played, athletes in the conference can breathe a sigh of relief they won’t lose their scholarship.

The SEC is the third Power Five conference to announce it will allow students to opt-out of competing and keep their scholarships. The Big Ten led the way, promising to maintain scholarships when they announced conference-only schedules for their fall sports and the Pac-12 followed close behind with the same announcement.

The SEC is expected to make a decision later this week if they will also cancel non-conference games.

Colleges and NCAA conferences around the country are reckoning with the implications of coronavirus on classes and campus life, including athletics. The Patriot League and the Ivy League have both canceled all fall sports, and football teams who returned to campus for preseason workout have already seen dozens of positive tests.

For athletes with pre-existing conditions that make them high-risk for the virus, the high exposure that would come from playing sports is frightening. The only compassionate choice is to honor scholarships for students who are concerned about their safety and well-being.

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