With nearly 90,000 confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus worldwide and deaths even in the U.S., any place with large clusters of people can be a potential breeding ground for the virus.
The annual NCAA “March Madness” basketball tournament is no exception. With crowded games in over 14 cities (which according to the NCAA schedule includes locales in Washington, where there are 162 reported cases of the virus and 24 deaths), some people are concerned that these large-scale events could increase the spread of the coronavirus.
According to an article in the Washington Post, a non-profit organization known as the National College Players Association has asked the NCAA to consider the possibility of having audience-free games to protect the athletes and coaches.
Although no decisions have been made regarding the absence of audiences during the games, the NCAA has been putting together strict measures to contain the outbreak. In an article by Bloomberg, NCAA chief operating officer Donald Remy said that the organization is working closely with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and that a medical advisory group has been formed to stay on top of the disease.
The NCAA is not going to leave people in the dark, though. In the same interview with Bloomberg, NCAA Chief Medical Officer Brian Hainline said, “While everything is fluid, we’re going to have to make some decisions and not have it wait until the last couple of days.”
But this decision is not only in the hands of the NCAA. According to an article by Reuters, in Switzerland, the government has banned all gatherings with 1,000 people or more in attendance. Like Switzerland, if the CDC or U.S. government does deem it necessary to ban audiences from the games, there is nothing the NCAA can do but to follow orders.
In an article by the CDC, a recommended way to keep the virus from spreading is to “plan alternative ways for participants to enjoy the events by television, radio, or online.”
Update: “Today, NCAA President Mark Emmert and the Board of Governors canceled the Division I men’s and women’s 2020 basketball tournaments, as well as all remaining winter and spring NCAA championships,” a statement from the NCAA said on Thursday March 12.