With COVID-19 variant positives, Michigan pauses athletics

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (AP) — The whole College of Michigan athletic division is pausing following quite a few beneficial exams for the new COVID-19 variant that transmits at a greater rate.

The point out Department of Wellbeing and Human Companies issued the mandate Saturday, with the university stating it follows the beneficial COVID-19 exams for quite a few people today linked to the athletic division. The whole division could be in quarantine for two weeks.

The eleventh-ranked women’s basketball crew was set to perform at dwelling from Purdue on Sunday. That was a single of 4 athletic situations the university experienced scheduled. The men’s tennis crew was hosting a tournament even though women’s tennis was in Atlanta. The men’s gymnastics function at Nebraska was also postponed.

The seventh-ranked men’s basketball crew wasn’t meant to perform until Wednesday at Penn Point out.

”Canceling competitions is never ever one thing we want to do, but with so lots of unknowns about this variant of COVID-19, we must do anything we can to decrease the spread among the student-athletes, coaches, employees, and to the student-athletes at other faculties,” athletic director Warde Manuel reported.

Michigan reported it was worked diligently within point out and Large 10 rules, but the state’s HHS division is mandating a extra intense method for the new variant.

Michigan’s men’s basketball crew potential customers the Large 10 and experienced 4 online games scheduled in the up coming two weeks, like a big rivalry recreation from Michigan Point out on Feb. six.

The women’s crew currently has its maximum AP position at any time. Ohio Point out handed the Wolverines their initial reduction of the season Thursday inspite of fifty details by Michigan’s Naz Hillmon. The Wolverines were being meant to perform 6 online games among now and Feb. seven, like two from Michigan Point out.