Pritzker: High School Basketball, Other Winter Sports "On Hold"

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Published on October 28 2020 6:51 am
Last Updated on October 28 2020 6:54 am
Written by Millie Lange

Governor Pritzker announced a decision Tuesday to place certain winter high school sports, including basketball, "on hold", due to a spike in COVID-19 numbers across the state.

Pritzker defended the decision, saying "nothing is canceled, just put on hold until we’re through the thick of this pandemic."
The IHSA was reportedly blindsided by the Governor's announcement, indicating they received word of the decision some 15 minutes before the press conference. It had scheduled a special meeting for Wednesday, October 28, where the board planned to provide direction on winter sports and discuss the schedule for the rest of the current school year.

In a statement, IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson said “about 15 minutes prior to Governor Pritzker’s press conference today, we were alerted that the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) has elevated the sport of basketball from a medium risk level to a high-risk level. We remain considerate of the recent rise in positive COVID-19 cases in our state. However, in our meeting with IDPH on Friday (October 23), we felt that we presented multiple options that would allow for basketball to be conducted safely by IHSA schools this winter, many of which are being utilized in neighboring states who plan to play high school basketball. Despite that setback, there is some positive news, as IDPH accepted the IHSA’s mitigations related to other sports, including cheerleading and dance, allowing them to move from a medium risk level to a low-risk level."

Governor Pritzker says the decision made with the IDPH to elevate certain winter sports revolves around indoor events with high contact, "especially in vigorous situations that bring about heavy breathing, like wrestling, hockey, and basketball." Sports played at a distance, like tennis, along with those that can be modified to virtual events, may be played.

The elevation of sports like basketball means that competitive games won't be permitted until Illinois reaches Level 3 of the IDPH guidelines. Currently, "high-risk" sports are at level 1.