Big 10 Adds Forfeit Policy For Teams Not Playing Due to COVID

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The Big 10 Conference has come out with a policy that will be none too kind for teams unable to play a scheduled game for the 2021-22 season, due to COVID.

While the vaccination rates among Big 10 teams is high, variants still are spreading through the country. If a program is incapable of fielding a team for a game, the canceling team will have to forfeit that contest, according to the Big 10.

The Big Ten released its COVID-19 policy on Monday morning, and if a team cannot play, it will receive a loss and the other team will get the win. If both teams have to cancel, then it’s considered a no-contest.

“In collaboration and communication with the Big Ten Conference Athletic Directors, Chancellors and Presidents, the Task Force for Emerging Infectious Diseases, and the Sports Medicine Committee – effective today – the conference has determined that if one of its member institutions is unable to play a conference contest due to COVID-19, that contest shall be declared a forfeit and will not be rescheduled. That contest shall be considered a loss for the team impacted by COVID-19 and a win for its opponent in the conference standings. If both of the two competing teams are unable to participate in a scheduled Conference competition due to COVID-19 and as a result the competition is unable to occur on the calendar day on which it is scheduled, the competition shall be considered a “no contest.”