# Ohio State Football Training - Participants Must Sign Waivers over Virus Risk



## Em in Ohio (Jun 15, 2020)

*"As sporting events across the world find new ways to return to the fields, players are being put at new risk for catching COVID-19.* In order to return to voluntary workouts, *Ohio State University football players are now required to sign a waiver acknowledging the heightened risk of contracting the virus. *The waiver also asks the players “pledge to take responsibility for [their] own health and help stop the spread of the COVID-19.” *If the student athletes do not abide by the pledge, they could risk losing their ability to participate in athletic activities and using team facilities.* "


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## jerry old (Jun 20, 2020)

That's not right. 
The bulk of the players are student athletics, without the means to pay for medical needs if they contact this 'modern plague'.
You know the coaching staff is dropping heavy hints, 'You don't attend practice, well
we will have to review you scholarship.
Also, how you going to have any social distancing if your on the offensive or defensive line?

Appears those with power are abusing those  that have no choice.
Geeze, and this is college, whatever it is-you have to call it a learning experience.
Those with power abuse it.


(Yes, a football power like Ohio State has several players making more than we do,
these guys could afford to buy their own hospital, but that's another topic)


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## Kaila (Jun 20, 2020)

It certainly does raise a lot of questions....!!!

If a valued player (that the coach wants to keep for winning games) is photo'd out in a crowd without mask, on own time,
would that be overlooked,
whereas  a lesser valued player could be off the team for same?

Students sign it, so it can be utilized however it ends up being enforced or not.....and the student must sign, but doesn't know the future ramifications.....

it sure does seem weighted toward protecting the schools from all liabilities, while offering no assurance to the students......

but again, I am confused by everything that has begun to open, but require waivers to participate.....
this issue is bigger than sports, but does include sports.....

In this section, of the Forum, I guess we will try to stick with the athletic aspects of the new policies.


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## Pepper (Jun 20, 2020)

The waiver is unenforceable.  It is signed under duress by the participants.  It wouldn't hold up if challenged in court.


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## Em in Ohio (Jun 20, 2020)

From ESPN:  Heather Dinich, ESPN Senior Writer

Ohio State football players and their parents were asked to sign an acknowledgment of risk waiver regarding the coronavirus pandemic before returning to campus for voluntary workouts on June 8, athletic director Gene Smith confirmed to ESPN on Sunday.

The "Buckeye Pledge," obtained by ESPN and other media outlets, asks players to "help stop the spread of the COVID-19" and accept "I may be exposed to COVID-19 and other infections." By signing the two-page electronic pledge, players agree to testing and potential self-quarantining, monitoring for symptoms, reporting any potential exposure in a timely manner and to practice Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, such as wearing a mask and practicing social distancing.

The waiver states "any failure to comply with my Buckeye Pledge above may lead to immediate removal of athletic participation privileges (not my athletics scholarship) and/or the inability to use athletics facilities."

Every football player has signed the waiver, according to a school spokesman who also said the university is not sharing cumulative testing information publicly.

Smith said the waiver is intended more for educational purposes than it is for liability.

"That's why we call it a pledge," he said. "We don't look at that as a legal document. It's a Buckeye pledge. Allow us to help you so that if we face a situation, our trainers, our strength coaches, our coaches or any athletic administrator sees a student-athlete not wearing a mask or not social distancing, we can say, 'Hey, you made a commitment. You signed a pledge. Your parents signed a pledge. Your parents are a part of this.'"

As schools across the country have begun to bring athletes back for voluntary workouts, many athletic directors have expressed similar concerns about what Ohio State's plan aims to curtail -- student-athletes acting like, well, students.

Athletic departments at every level have been making painstaking plans to keep their players safe while following and often exceeding CDC guidelines. There's only so much they can do, though, once the players leave the controlled confines of the athletic facilities.

"You've got to make a commitment," Smith said. "If you're going back to your apartment, with your roommates or by yourself or whatever, or if you choose to go out and have dinner somewhere now that places are reopening, you need to wear a mask. You need to social distance. We're hammering our kids on that concept. Social distancing is the biggest challenge we've been having. They're kids. They want to be close to one another."

Smith said he got the idea from Indiana athletic director Fred Glass during a weekly call with the Big Ten ADs. Smith said they always share best practices and ideas on the call, and Glass wanted to find a way to help ensure the players' behavior was right and get them to make a commitment on it.

According to IU's COVID-19 "Participant Expectations and Commitment Pledge," obtained by ESPN on Monday, athletes were asked to agree to report any exposures to the sports medicine staff, to be tested and self-quarantine if symptoms develop, and to participate "fully and honestly" with the sports medicine staff for contact tracing. The athletes were also asked to agree to wear a mask in all public spaces, and to practice social distancing whenever possible. The pledge states that "any violation may lead to immediate removal of athletics participation and/or dismissal from my team."

According to the waiver, the athletes and their parents "understand COVID-19 is a highly contagious virus and it is possible to develop and contract the COVID-19 disease, even if I follow all of the safety precautions above and those recommended by the CDC, local health department, and others. I understand that although the university is following the coronavirus guidelines issued by the CDC and other experts to reduce the spread of infection, I can never be completely shielded from all risk of illness caused by COVID-19 or other infections."

"They all want to play," Smith said. "They all want an opportunity to have a season. Look, you're the ones at the end of the day that if you don't follow these protocols, you're going to make it very difficult for us to help you have that season."


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## Em in Ohio (Jun 20, 2020)

*Big Buck Business:* https://ohiostatebuckeyes.com/inside-college-sports-biggest-money-machine/  (Data may be old)
"Last season, Ohio State’s football program generated about $57 million in revenue. The sum included a $4.75 million payment from the NCAA for advancing to the national championship game and $31.65 million in ticket sales from home games at Ohio State’s 105,000-seat stadium. Team expenses, which include nearly $2 million for meals and travel, as well as debt payments to cover stadium renovations, subtracted about $21 million. Still, football supplied nearly $36 million in profit to the athletic department’s coffers. The University of Florida, which beat OSU for the national championship in January, made about $34 million on football last year.) "


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## AnnieA (Jun 20, 2020)

Em in Ohio said:


> ...
> 
> ...practice Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines, such as wearing a mask and practicing social distancing.




That is completely unrealistic for college football players and OSU is not going to field a fricking football team wearing masks.   And good grief ...how are they going to huddle six feet away from each other.


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## AnnieA (Jun 20, 2020)

Pepper said:


> The waiver is unenforceable.  It is signed under duress by the participants.  It wouldn't hold up if challenged in court.


 
I sure hope not.  It's idiotic.


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## Em in Ohio (Jun 20, 2020)

OSU Athletic director Gene Smith stated:  "...The waiver is intended more for educational purposes than it is for liability.

"That's why we call it a pledge," he said. "We don't look at that as a legal document. It's a Buckeye pledge. Allow us to help you so that if we face a situation, our trainers, our strength coaches, our coaches or any athletic administrator sees a student-athlete not wearing a mask or not social distancing, we can say, 'Hey, you made a commitment. You signed a pledge. Your parents signed a pledge. Your parents are a part of this.'"


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## AnnieA (Jun 21, 2020)

Em in Ohio said:


> OSU Athletic director Gene Smith stated:  "...The waiver is intended more for educational purposes than it is for liability.
> 
> "That's why we call it a pledge," he said. "We don't look at that as a legal document. It's a Buckeye pledge. Allow us to help you so that if we face a situation, our trainers, our strength coaches, our coaches or any athletic administrator sees a student-athlete not wearing a mask or not social distancing, we can say, 'Hey, you made a commitment. You signed a pledge. Your parents signed a pledge. Your parents are a part of this.'"



From above: 





> The waiver states "any failure to comply with my Buckeye Pledge above may lead to immediate removal of athletic participation privileges (not my athletics scholarship) and/or the inability to use athletics facilities."



The consequences for players go beyond a 'pledge' and it's hypocritical to expect college athletes to go around wearing masks and social distancing when you're not going to have them wear masks or social distance during practice and games.

And good luck with enforcing it anyway considering the constant battles in getting college football players to actual classes, keeping them from illegal drugs etc.   Especially when you consider the ****** opportunities constantly on offer to these guys ...can't see following CDC recommendations there...


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