Fauci: Not ready for sports,
leagues must 'bite bullet, cancel
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[April 30, 2020]
Canceling seasons will not be
easy but could very well be necessary, Dr. Anthony Fauci told the
New York Times on Wednesday.
The country's top infectious diseases expert, Fauci said there are
leagues that might have to "bite the bullet" and cancel their 2020
seasons.
"Safety, for the players and for the fans, trumps everything," Fauci
told The Times. "If you can't guarantee safety, then unfortunately
you're going to have to bite the bullet and say, 'We may have to go
without this sport for this season.'"
Among requirements Fauci said would be necessary for leagues to
re-open are quick and accurate testing for all essential players and
staff.
In April, Fauci took the position that sports could be back this
summer as long as fans weren't gathering and leagues took
precautions to minimize the amount of exposure players and officials
had. Fauci said Wednesday that even when sports return, players will
not be able to be active members of society and some type of
quarantine will be required.
"I would love to be able to have all sports back," he said. "But as
a health official and a physician and a scientist, I have to say,
right now, when you look at the country, we're just not ready for
that yet."
The NBA plans to open practice facilities for individual workouts on
May 8 -- one week from Friday -- with heavy restrictions regarding
social distancing and hygiene.
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![](../images/043020PIX/sports49.jpg)
National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr.
Anthony Fauci speaks during a coronavirus response meeting in the
Oval Office at the White House in Washington, U.S., April 29, 2020.
REUTERS/Carlos Barria
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2016/Mar/14/images/ads/current/tires250x300.gif)
Major League Baseball was scheduled to open March 26. Opening Day
could be moved to mid-June or July, according to reports Tuesday.
PGA and NASCAR events are planned in May without fans in attendance.
![](http://archives.lincolndailynews.com/2020/Apr/30/images/ads/current/topflight_sda_SFARM_2020.png)
The NHL still is evaluating its options per resuming its season.
--Field Level Media
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