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Indiana Athletics Announces Return To Limited Practices

The IU football team will begin voluntary workouts June 15 th. Other sports will follow in July and August.

Indiana University Athletic Director Fred Glass announced a phased in return of athletic activities for the first time since the coronavirus pandemic began.

In a statement released by the athletic department, Glass says “We cannot totally eliminate the risk, at least until there is a vaccine, there will be risk. What we can do is have the best doctors give us the best protocols and make sure they are strictly followed. That’s what we’ve done and what we are going to do.”

The football team will be the first group to enter voluntary workouts on June 15 th, followed by men’s and women’s basketball June 18 th.

Women’s soccer, volleyball, men’s soccer and field hockey will start voluntary training in July. Cross Country will return for workouts August 18 th. 

The NCAA cancelled all spring sports because of the Covid-19 pandemic, meaning Indiana baseball and softball were unable to finish their seasons. The Indiana men’s basketball season ended with an opening round win in the Big Ten tournament. The remainder of the basketball post season was also cancelled due the pandemic.

READ MORE: No Fall, Spring Break Among IU's Changes To 2020-21 School Year

Each student athlete will be required to go through a daily medical check and agree to comply with a series of CDC guidelines before being cleared to participate in voluntary summer workouts.

The statement says the athletic department decided to go ahead with summer workouts based on recommendations from the IU Medical Advisory Group.

On June 1 st, the Big Ten Conference announced it would allow member institutions to form a plan that allows teams to gradually resume athletic activities, in accordance with state and local health guidelines. 

For the latest news and resources about COVID-19, bookmark our Coronavirus In Indiana page  here.

Adam Pinsker is a reporter and multi-media journalist with WTIU and WFIU news. He was previously a reporter at WFTX in Cape Coral, Florida and KTUU in Anchorage, Alaska. In his spare time Adam likes working out, watching football, basketball and baseball and exploring Indiana's outdoors.