CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- High school sports in Illinois are being put on hold, for the time being, following Governor Pritzker’s latest clampdown in response to a second surge in coronavirus cases.
The IHSA has issued a statement saying the winter sport season for high school athletes is being put on a “temporary pause.”
It is unclear how long the suspension will be.
Illinois High School Association Executive Director Craig Anderson said that as a result, girls and boys basketball, boys and girls bowling and boys swimming will not begin to play as scheduled until 2021.
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“The IHSA recognizes that today’s announcement by Gov. Pritzker will temporarily pause the IHSA’s winter sports season,” Anderson said. “We remain optimistic that these new mitigations, coupled with the emergence of a vaccine, will aid in creating participation opportunities in the new year for IHSA student-athletes in winter, spring, and summer sports.
“The IHSA board of directors will meet as scheduled on Nov. 19, 2020, to continue plotting out potential paths for IHSA sport and activity participation through the remainder of the school year. Although representatives from the governor’s office and the Illinois Department of Public Health will be unable to attend the meeting, today’s updated guidance from Gov. Pritzker will aid the board’s decision-making.
"We have asked Deputy Gov. (Jesse) Ruiz and Dr. (Ngozi) Ezike to engage with us in the near future so that we can collaborate on developing a plan to safely conduct IHSA sports and activities as soon as possible. IHSA schools have been exemplary in adhering to state regulations throughout this pandemic, and we hope that non-school programs will hold themselves to the same standard as we all put the long-term health and safety of our fellow citizens ahead of short-term athletic competition.”