Sports
Colorado Football’s Bryan McGinnis Issued Summons over Large Team Gathering
David Zalubowski/Associated PressBryan McGinnis, Colorado football’s director of football operations, has been issued a summons by the city of Boulder after violating public health orders for organizing a hike involving more than 100 Buffalo football players at Mount Sanitas amid the COVID-19 pandemic.McGinnis also received a ticket for failing to obtain a large group permit.Per Mitchell Byars of…
David Zalubowski/Associated Press
Bryan McGinnis, Colorado football's director of football operations, has been issued a summons by the city of Boulder after violating public health orders for organizing a hike involving more than 100 Buffalo football players at Mount Sanitas amid the COVID-19 pandemic.
McGinnis also received a ticket for failing to obtain a large group permit.
Per Mitchell Byars of the Daily Camera, a total of 108 people were in the group on the Mount Salinas trails, with observers telling the reporter that many players were not wearing face coverings.
Those are required on city trails and public spaces in Boulder County where six feet of separation is not plausible. In addition, groups of 10 or more people are “discouraged” on the trails, per Byars.
CU athletic director Rick George issued a statement in response to the news:
“Our athletic department has been diligent in ensuring COVID-19 health and safety protocols are in place and followed by our staff and student-athletes. All student-athletes are tested for COVID-19 frequently to ensure they are healthy while training. As noted in the county’s self-quarantine directive for students, intercollegiate athletic training is an allowable activity. Our football team took a team hike on Thursday for training purposes. All players who took part had recently tested negative for COVID-19.
“All of this said, we acknowledge the lapse in judgment and apologize for our football team partaking in a group activity like this on public open space amid the current COVID-19 climate. We share in the community’s concern and anxiety about the recent spike in COVID-19 cases, and we do not tolerate actions that are contrary to public health orders. We will address this with our football program, and continue to educate our coaches, staff and student-athletes about the importance of complying with public health orders, including wearing masks and physical distancing at all times while in public.”
The news comes amid reports that the Pac-12 may be playing football this year.
The Colorado football team was initially planning to postpone the season through the 2020 calendar year amid the COVID-19 pandemic alongside the rest of the Pac-12.
However, it appears the conference is gearing up for a potential return on Oct. 31, per Jon Wilner of the Mercury News, although obstacles, such as getting approval from local health officials relative to all 12 teams, still remain.
Subscribe to Centenunlimited news
We hate SPAM and promise to keep your email address safe
