Bethune Cookman cancels sports for 2020-21 season because of spike in COVID-19 cases

Bethune-Cookman is the latest casualty in college sports during the COVID-19 pandemic, according to reports.

The historically Black college in Daytona Beach decided it won’t play sports the rest of the 2020-21 season, according to ESPN.

“In the face of a surging COVID-19 spike across much of the country and the State of Florida, we have concluded that the risks are too great for our student-athletes and staff to travel and compete at this time,” Dr. E. LaBrent Chrite, the school’s president, said in a statement, according to ESPN. The university has ceased all student athletic activities until further notice, out of an abundance of caution. “The health and safety of our student-athletes, as well as our coaches, staff and fans will always be our top priority.

“We obviously recognize that other institutions may elect to move forward with spring competition. The decision for us, however, was not a complicated one. The risk premium is simply too high and our priority remains the health and safety of our students, faculty and staff. As members of the B-CU family constantly engage in various forms of civic engagement, this decision also protects our community partners as well.”

According to the New York Times, Florida has seen 25,286 positive COVID-19 cases, with 428 deaths in the past seven days. That’s an increase of 39 percent in cases in the past 14 days, according to ESPN.

“We’ve administered nearly 6,000 tests since the start of the school year, and up until a little over a week ago, saw remarkably positive results from our testing protocols,” Vice President for Intercollegiate Athletics Lynn W. Thompson said, according to ClickOrlando.com. “Over the past eight days, however, we’ve noted a sudden spike in cases on campus, hence this decision.”

ESPN reported, “the university is currently on lockdown with more than 30 students in quarantine after 15 tested positive for COVID-19 between Oct. 16 and 21.”