The state of Ohio halted all activities related to the football team and closed the administrative offices of Woody Hayes Athletic Center for a week due to an increase in positive coronavirus cases.
The decision announced Tuesday morning was taken by sports director Gene Smith and team doctor Jim Borchers. They made the call after the last round of PCR tests carried out on Monday.
“Our decisions about the well-being of our student-athletes, staff and those who come to our campus, and our determination as to when we will reopen and resume activities, will continue to be guided by our medical staff,” said Smith in a statement. “We have been successful in safely hosting almost 100 sporting events on campus this year, with limited interruptions, but this pandemic is not over yet. We will continue to emphasize safety measures for wearing masks, consistent and thorough hand washing and physical distance and will remain vigilant in these areas. ”
This is the first break from the football program since there was a four-day break from the team’s activities in late November.
It is not clear how many positive cases exist – or have existed – in the football program. The sports department chose not to release more specific statistics on the results of the COVID-19 test in addition to what the university as a whole offers.
Ohio State is scheduled to start spring soccer practice on March 19. If the Buckeyes are able to return to work in a week, they will return to the Woody Hayes Athletic Center on March 16, giving them three days on the premises before the camp opens later in the week.