Letters exchanged Friday between leaders of the Pac-12 #WeAreUnited Unity Group and conference commissioner Larry Scott show a strong division over how the parties felt Thursday’s first meeting went amid concerns’ the student group on the conference’s back-to-game policy following the coronavirus pandemic.
“We were all disappointed and deeply concerned that you are not taking this matter seriously,” a letter to Scott late Friday, signed by 18 student-athletes, said.
One of the primary controversy points was related to what is “regular testing” for COVID-19. While the player group asked for daily tests and a consistent test policy for conference broads, Scott informed them that neither was possible, according to the players’ letter, which said: “You [Scott] claimed necessary testing was ‘not available’ and that it would be ‘impossible’ to practice testing and COVID precautionary conference broadly. ‘
In Scott’s letter to the players ‘group, which was sent out on Friday afternoon, before he received the players’ letter, he said that questions about testing protocols would be addressed with the conference’s medical advisory committee and he would provide answers. ” in the very future. ” A second meeting is not planned, but is expected to take place next week.
A conference source took issue with the characterization of the players that Scott and the Pac-12 did not address the player health issues that are being taken seriously by the players, calling it a “patent false”, citing the medical advisory committee of the conference representing leading public health and infectious disease specialists, which formed guidelines applicable to each school in the conference. The source said all Pac-12 schools have pledged to follow Pac-12 medical guidelines, along with those enforced by the NCAA and local public health requirements.
ESPN’s request for official comment from the Pac-12 was not allowed.
“We love the communities we participate in. But, we are afraid of the possible consequences of athletes playing sports before it is safe enough to do so,” the players’ letter said. “That’s why during our meeting with you yesterday, Oregon Safety Jevon Holland explained, ‘Our deepest fear is the negative return of the Pac-12 to play may result in a member of our Pac-12 family dying from COVID -19. ‘”
A player from the Pac-12 unit group told ESPN that in Thursday’s call Scott referred to the group’s published Sunday Players article, which outlined demands related to health and safety, racial injustice and economic problems, as a “PR stunt,” and he thought Scott refused the group’s motives. “Eighteen sets of ears heard him say that,” the player said.
“Your response to our concerns ‘If you feel unsafe, just pick out and go home’ is not an acceptable response and proves that there are serious inconsistencies in the Pac-12 standards and their commitment to protect college athletes among their watch, “the players’ letter said.
It was communicated to Scott during the call, and in the follow-up letter, that documents that function effectively as claims for liability have been distributed to multiple Pac-12 schools. In response, Scott gave the group guarantees that these documents could not be enforced.
“While we have received assurances from our institutions that student-athletes have not been asked to review and sign exemptions regarding COVID-19 related issues as a condition of participation in athletics, the Conference Office is fully committed to addressing this issue with each institution. checking to ensure that such exemptions are not administered, “Scott said in his letter. “If the conference office discovers that an institution has issued an exemption of this nature to student-athletes, it will work closely with that institution to confirm that such a document is unpredictable in the recent NCAA Board of Governors directive. “
Scott also explained that students who choose to participate in athletics this fall will retain their eligibility and remain in good standing with their team.
“We encourage any student-athlete considering this choice to reach out to their respective athletics management, including directors of athletics, to discuss relevant institutional policies in place of student-athletes opting for fall 2020 participation. because of concerns related to COVID-19, “Scott said.
The players’ group expressed a wish that legal representation would be present at future talks between them and Scott, but Scott made it clear to the players that if they compared lawyers, they would communicate with Pac-12 lawyers.
In the list of players with requirements published on Sunday, they asked the conference to “equalize 50% of the total conference revenue of each sport among athletes in their respective sports,” and although the economic component was briefly discussed in ‘ the call Thursday, it was not a priority for the students and considered a non-starter by Scott.
“When it comes to creating generational wealth,” Scott told the players, according to multiple sources, “you’re wasting your time.”
ESPN producer David Lubbers contributed to this story.
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