Thursday morning, the California group “Let Them Play CA” that has been pushing to bring back high school and youth sports announced major news of a settlement with the State of California that would allow for the return of all sports in the State with certain guidelines.
“We have reached a settlement with the State of California on our lawsuit,” Scripps Ranch High School coach Marlon Gardinera said in the press conference. “The terms of the temporary restraining order here in San Diego allowing all student-athletes to return to play both indoor and outdoor will now go into effect statewide. All high school sports can begin in California.”
Just a few weeks ago, the State loosened its safety restrictions allowing for the return of youth and outdoor sports in counties with a COVID-19 adjusted case rate under 14 per 100,000 residents.
The new guidelines, which have yet to be released by the California Department of Public Health but are expected Thursday or Friday, will allow for indoor sports to begin for the first time in SLO County since the beginning of the pandemic in early 2020.
According to Stephen E. Grebing, the attorney retained by “Let Them Play CA,” indoor sports can return but would need to follow similar guidelines that college and professional sports teams are currently under. However, It appears, but is unclear at this time, that indoor sports would still require a negative COVID-19 test within 48 hours of a game regardless of the local case rates.
The State has agreed to pay for testing for three sports, football, water polo, and rugby, meaning the schools would be on their own to test other sports.
In the news conference, Gardinera addressed testing, stating that the organization has pieces in place to help athletes get tested throughout the State through testtodayCA.com.
This is a developing news story and will continue to be updated.
