In an appearance on CNN early Sunday morning, NCAA chief medical officer Brian Hainline gave a grim summary of the challenges facing college sports. Namely, that resource limitations currently keep college sports hanging in the balance.
Here are some highlights of what Hainline said about the season during his slot.
- “The pathway to play sports is so exceedingly narrow right now. Everything would have to line up perfectly.”
- “If testing stays as it is, there’s no way we could go forward with sports.”
- Added the greater risk is regular students resocializing on campuses. Says that could be “the downfall” if schools can’t handle that.
Of primary concern to Hainline and other NCAA medical experts is the prospect of students returning to campus in the coming weeks. The SEC, Big 12 and ACC are all currently planning on having football in the fall, though more spikes like the ones at Notre Dame and North Carolina could jeopardize that.
Unlike the other two leagues, the SEC delayed the beginning of its season until Sep. 26, presumably to allow league officials to gauge how students’ return to campus affects the situation.
But given Hainline’s comments, football in the fall feels like an unlikely outcome.
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