Pac-12 Announces Basketball Testing Protocols, Game Cancellation Policy

SALT LAKE CITY, Utah – The Pac-12 Conference announced men’s and women’s basketball testing protocols as well as the game cancellation policy.

In the ever-changing world of college athletics, the testing protocols and game cancellation policy is important to track as teams try to reach the NCAA Tournament.

The Pac-12 has already postponed one basketball game this week as Colorado’s game against Arizona will not be played on Wednesday. Football has had multiple games canceled every week since the season began on Saturday, Nov. 7.

Pac-12 announces basketball testing protocols and game cancellation policy

DETAILS: https://t.co/mwzzxeBLXY#Pac12Hoops | #Pac12WBB

— Pac-12 Conference (@pac12) December 1, 2020

Below is the testing protocols and game cancellation policy for Pac-12 basketball for the 2020-21 season.

Testing Protocols

Key elements of the testing protocols for basketball student-athletes include the following:

• Daily point-of-care testing on each day of full practice, higher-risk of transmission activity, travel and games
• Minimum once weekly PCR test (in addition to daily point-of-care testing)
• Any positive daily point-of-care antigen test must be followed by a PCR test within 24 hours
• Game day air ambulance service will be available in case any individual tests positive traveling for competition
• For non-conference opponents, a minimum of four tests the week leading up to competition, including on game day
• For multi-team events, a minimum of three tests per week leading up to the even along with a test on the day of arrival and prior to each game
• All testing protocols continue to be subject to state, local, and campus public health requirements

The Pac-12 has a more detailed summary of the minimum testing requirements can be found, here.

Game Cancellation Policy

According to the Pac-12, a minimum roster count has been established with which a team is considered available to play a scheduled basketball game. At least seven scholarship players and one countable coach available to participate.

“If a team has fewer than the minimum roster available for a scheduled game, the impacted institution may elect to play the game with fewer than the minimum roster seven scholarship players,” the release read. “Otherwise, upon review and approval by the Commissioner, the game may be rescheduled or declared a no contest. In all cases cancellation, postponement and rescheduling a contest will be decided by the conference in consultation with the participating teams and the Pac-12 medical advisory group.”

In addition, a game may be canceled for:

• Inability to isolate new positive cases within a team or athletic department, or to quarantine high-risk contacts (as determined by local public health and medical staff)
• Unavailability or inability to perform testing as provided by the Pac-12 medical guidelines
• Campus-wide or local community transmission rates that are considered unsafe by local public health officials
• Inability to perform adequate contact tracing consistent with governmental requirements
• Local public health officials of the home team state that there is an inability for the hospital infrastructure to accommodate a surge

The Pac-12 provided a summary for COVID-19 basketball testing, here.

Game Day Testing

The following is the game day testing protocols per the Pac-12 Conference:

Game Day Testing: Institutions will administer a “home team” testing model. The home team will coordinate with the visiting team in order for the home team to schedule and administer testing.

Testing Groups: Game day tests will be administered to:

• Home team bench group
• Visiting team’s travel party
• On-court officials

PCR Inventory: If there is any positive antigen test result on the day of the game and the home team has the capability of performing a confirmatory PCR prior to game time, the home team may utilize the confirmatory PCR as long as it also makes the same capability available to the visiting team prior to game time.

Attestation

• “An online gameday attestation form will be submitted by each team physician and athletic director after completion of game day testing attesting that:
  • each team has compiled with minimum testing requirements
  • no individual present at the game has:
    • received a presumptive positive test result (without clearance)
    • received a confirmed positive test result
    • had high-risk contact, or
    • is exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19
  • Any individuals not receiving gameday testing have been infected with COVID-19, have recovered, and are within the exemption time period enforced by their respective conference.

Face Coverings

The Pac-12 protocols state that face coverings must be worn over the nose and mouth by all individuals in the arena. Players can remove face coverings while on the court but must put their face coverings back on once they return to the bench area.

Surgical masks, cloth masks, gaiter (double layer or thick cloth) are allowed. Face shields (may be used with other face covering specifically for nose and mouth) is not allowed.

Trevor Allen is a Utah Utes Insider for KSLSports.com and host of the Crimson Corner podcast. Follow him on Twitter: @TrevorASports. You can download and listen to the podcast, here.