The SEC has updated their management strategy in response to COVID-19. On Friday, the conference confirmed they will now require a third weekly cardiac evaluation test prior to athlete competition.
The news comes just one day following Georgia State quarterback Mikele Colasurdo’s announcement that he will be opting out of the 2020 season due to a heart condition he developed after contracting the virus.
1 Corinthians 2:5 pic.twitter.com/KSIRALqfY0
— Mikele Colasurdo (@mikelecolasurdo) August 20, 2020
On August 8, University of Houston defensive lineman Sedrick Williams announced he too would sit out after facing heart complications as a result of COVID-19. He wrote in a Facebook post,
“As a result of the virus, I’ve had complications with my heart and I really don’t know the outcome or what’s in store for me in the future, I just know that my life is more precious to me than football could ever be.”
SEC Associate Commissioner Herb Vincent details that the cardiac evaluation requires “a troponin level, electrocardiogram, echocardiogram and a medical evaluation by a physician.”
Given today’s update, the SEC now mandates at least three PCR tests per week during weeks of competition. This decision was made per the guidance of the SEC’s Return to Activity and Medical Guidance Task Force. The conference’s goal is to ensure the safety of all athletes.
Commissioner Sankey released this statement as part of the announcement:
“We remain vigilant in monitoring the trends and effects of COVID-19 as we learn more about the virus, and this cardiac evaluation enhances the effectiveness of the protocols already in place. We are confident in our institutions’ ability to provide a healthy environment supported by rigorous testing and surveillance. Our student-athletes have indicated their desire to compete and it is our responsibility to make every effort to deliver a healthy and medically sound environment for providing that opportunity.”
As players continue announcing their decisions regarding the 2020 season, all 14 members of the SEC remain committed to protecting any student-athlete’s scholarship should they choose to opt out.