ILLINOIS (WAND) - The Illinois High School Association said Tuesday it will defer to state officials on return-to-play guidelines.
The IHSA announced on July 9 it was walking back rules approved the previous week for sports. After receiving feedback from the Illinois Department of Public Health, it essentially returned to "Stage 1" of its plan with modifications not allowing contact, scrimmaging or competition. It also said it would require face masks for all indoor activities and a group limit of 50 people.
The organization also faced a lawsuit, filed by Thomas Devore in Montgomery County, which claimed the IHSA does not have the authority to make athletes wear masks.
The IHSA decided to defer to the Illinois Department of Public Health, Illinois State Board of Education and Gov. JB Pritzker's office for direction.
“There is an unprecedented level of planning for this school year due to COVID-19, and we have come to understand that there needs to be a greater consistency between the guidelines for returning to learn and returning to interscholastic athletics,” said IHSA Executive Director Craig Anderson. “Some of the recommendations by the IHSA Sports Medicine Advisory Committee (SMAC) and directives from IDPH have come into direct conflict with each other, especially as it relates to the use of masks by student-athletes. As a result, we feel it is important to let IDPH and ISBE provide a consistent direction for our membership moving forward. We will wait on direction from these organizations for further guidance on Return to Play plans for the 2020-21 school year.”
The IHSA's Sports Medicine Advisory Committee developed Return to Play Guidelines, which went through collaborative changes before IDPH approved them. Guidelines were amended after requested changes from IDPH. Final approval of a revised Phase 4 plan is forthcoming from health officials, the IHSA said in a release.
IHSA teams are allowed to conduct limited summer contact workouts within Phase 4 as IDPH and ISBE direct.
Anderson said he's hopeful for high school competition to happen as the COVID-19 pandemic continues.
“We still believe there is a path to conducting high school athletics in the fall, like the majority of states surrounding Illinois plan to do,” said Anderson. “To make that happen, it’s important that we allow IDPH, ISBE and the Governor’s Office to take the lead on ensuring the safest and most consistent protocols.”
