Athletes at Pac-12 institutions have announced a unity group to negotiate with the conference and league ahead of fall sports starting, with specific demands in regards…
Athletes at Pac-12 institutions have announced a unity group to negotiate with the conference and league ahead of fall sports starting, with specific demands in regards to the upcoming football season for “fair treatment for college athletes.”
The group’s goals, announced in a news release and published in a Players Tribune article Sunday titled #WeAreUnited, range from clearer COVID-19 safety protocols and increased testing to racial equality and name, image and likeness rights. The news release is signed “Players of the Pac-12,” and includes the names of 12 players representing nine of the 12 schools in the conference. It is made on behalf of “hundreds” of the conference’s football players.
“We are being asked to play college sports in a pandemic in a system without enforced health and safety standards, and without transparency about COVID cases on our teams, the risks to ourselves, our families, and our communities,” the missive reads. “We will opt-out of Pac-12 fall camp and game participation unless the following demands are guaranteed in writing by our conference to protect and benefit both scholarship athletes and walk-ons.”
“We support our student-athletes using their voice,and have regular communications with our student-athletes at many different levels on a range of topics,” the Pac-12 said in a statement. “As we have clearly stated with respect to our fall competition plans, we are, and always will be, directed by medical experts, with the health, safety and well being of our student athletes, coaches and staff always the first priority.”
While the players’ statement does not mention this, several Pac-12 schools have announced dramatic changes to their academic instruction plans for the fall due to the pandemic.
