One member of the Arizona Interscholastic Association Executive Board had a change of heart. As a result, winter sports are back on.Â
The AIA Executive Board voted 5-4 on Tuesday to return the seasons that are scheduled to begin on Jan. 18 without fans in attendance. The about-face comes after a 5-4 vote on Friday in favor of discontinuing the boys and girls basketball, wrestling, soccer and spirit line seasons.
At the time, the board said it was following the Sports Medicine Advisory Committee's recommendations to shut down the seasons for COVID-19 concerns. The start of the winter sports season was pushed from Nov. 30 to January because of the pandemic.
Winter competition will take place with new rules in place. Athletes and coaches will be required to wear gaiters that cover their mouths and noses, and teams must submit COVID-19 monitoring forms before each game. Failure to complete the forms will result in cancellations. Schools that violate the AIA's protocols will lose access to AIA officials for the remainder of the season.Â
This story will be updated.
