The NCAA announced on Wednesday that college basketball and college football players could resume voluntary athletic activities on-campus as early as June 1.
With campuses clear across the nation still shut down over the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic plaguing the United States, this seems to be an exception to the rule.
An outspoken critic of how the sports world has responded to the pandemic, Pro Basketball Hall of Famer Charles Barkley told CNN’s Anderson Cooper Wednesday evening that it’s unsafe for amateur athletes to return.
“I would not want my kid (to play) until we know more about what can happen…but listen, money is going to run this thing,” Barkley said.
The always boisterous Turner Sports personality recently indicated that the 2019-20 NBA season should be canceled altogether. At this point, that’s highly unlikely to happen. In fact, plans are underway for the season to resume some time in July.
College football is in a bit of a different situation in that there’s no nationwide policy when it comes to campuses.
Commissioners for the largest conferences in amateur athletics recently told Vice President Mike Pence that games would not take place while campuses are still closed to students. Some campuses are set to open here soon. Others won’t even be open for the fall semester.