(Indianapolis, IN) NCAA president Mark Emmert announced Wednesday the NCAA men’s and women’s basketball tournaments will be closed to fans out of concern over the coronavirus:
Only essential staff and limited family will be allowed to attend.
As of Wednesday, there have been 1,000 confirmed cases of COVID-19 within the United States leading to 31 deaths, per CNN.com.
The decision comes after the NCAA advisory panel announced it has recommended against keeping sporting events open to the public as a precaution to limit the spread of the coronavirus.
“We do believe sport events can take place with only essential personnel and limited family attendance, and this protects our players, employees, and fans,” the panel’s statement added.
The advisory panel was established earlier this month, consisting of NCAA Chief Medical Officer Dr. Brian Hainline as well as several other doctors and athlete liaisons.
Article by Rob Goldberg
