ACC gets rid of Covid forfeiture policy

If Louisville doesn’t have seven healthy players and one healthy coach a week from tonight, at least they won’t have to forfeit their game against Wake Forest.

Here’s the full release from the ACC on the changes to their Covid cancellation/postponement policy:

The Atlantic Coast Conference announced Wednesday that it has modified its 2021-22 COVID-19 rescheduling policy.

The decision was unanimously supported by the league’s athletics directors as a result of the current rise in COVID cases and its impact on winter sport programs. If possible, games that cannot be played as scheduled will be rescheduled. If a game cannot be played and cannot be rescheduled, it will be considered a no contest.

For men’s and women’s basketball, a team must have a roster minimum of seven game available student-athletes and one countable coach to play a game. If a team does not have the requisite number of participants, and elects not to play, the game shall be a no contest. If a team has the requisite number of participants and does not participate, the game will be declared a forfeit. This policy shall be retroactive to any results beginning with the 2021 ACC winter sports schedule.

Finally, the ACC’s Medical Advisory Group continues to monitor and discuss the current circumstances and, if necessary, may make adjustments to the current protocols.

I’d expect all other conferences with similar policies in place to make the same type of announcement in the very near future.