St Catharines university athletes must be fully vaccinated
Published July 30, 2021 at 8:19 pm
When the Badgers varsity and club athletes return to their athlete fields, gyms and arenas this year, no athlete can play their sport until they are fully vaccinated.
The St Catharines university announced the new rules yesterday (July 29), saying no one can compete at either the club or varsity level unless they’ve been double-dosed.
The announcement comes just a few days after the university said all students living in on-campus residences must also be fully vaccinated.
Melissa Krist, Director of Brock Sports, said the university is doing everything it can to create a safe environment for its 900 student-athletes.
“It comes down to setting that standard for duty of care for our athletes and ensuring their health and safety is part of our return-to-play strategy,” she said in a release.
“Keeping our student-athletes safe is our Number One job at all times, but especially as we deal with this ongoing pandemic.”
The vaccine mandate does not include students participating in on-campus athletics such as intramural competitions or apply to those using the University’s athletic facilities for recreational purposes.
With the first exhibition games of the season set to get underway by mid-September, all student-athletes will be required to be fully vaccinated by Saturday, September 4 or 14 days prior to their first competition, whichever date is sooner.
With the provincial regulations around indoor and outdoor gatherings easing, Brock Sports will allow spectators at its events this fall but with limited capacity and safety measures in place. A plan is also in the works to expand the live video streaming offerings of athletic events on campus.
