Boise State reverses course and shares results of initial wave of coronavirus tests
Boise State announced Wednesday it has tested at least 230 athletes, coaches and staff members for coronavirus and the athletic department has produced four positive results.
A Boise State spokesperson said during a conference call with reporters that the university has tested between 230 and 250 members of the athletic department since athletes began returning to campus the first week of June.
The school did not specify if any of the positive tests came from athletes, but it did confirm that three of the cases were discovered before the individuals arrived on campus.
On June 8, Boise State announced multiple athletes tested positive for COVID-19 but declined to identify the athletes or the sport they compete in. The university hadn’t shared the results of tests since then, citing federal privacy laws, but on Wednesday, a spokesperson for the athletic department confirmed it would provide periodic updates moving forward.
On Tuesday, Boise State announced it was closing campus through Sunday after a spike of eight positive tests in 48 hours. The school did not specify whether any of the positive results came from athletes.
On Wednesday, associate athletic director for performance health and wellness Marc Paul confirmed the plan is to reopen the campus on Monday.
He said the decision to reopen will come from the president’s office, and that all athletes who were already in town for voluntary workouts will have to be retested for COVID-19 upon returning to campus.
Positive tests have been popping up in athletes all over the country since the NCAA began allowing voluntary workouts on June 1. At Houston, six symptomatic players led to the suspension of all team activities. At LSU, at least 30 players have been quarantined, and on Friday, Kansas State suspended all activities after 14 players tested positive.
On Tuesday, the Statesman obtained a copy of a COVID-19 consent form that Boise State is requiring athletes to sign, acknowledging their risk of contracting the virus while on campus for workouts.
This story was originally published June 24, 2020 at 4:20 PM.
