NCAA removes six high gaming officers from March Insanity for COVID-19 optimistic check and speak to tracing

The NCAA had to remove half a dozen of its most experienced officials from the 2021 edition of March Madness, including four with experience in Final Four, as one of them tested positive for COVID-19 and the other five were affected by the contact tracing.

A source who works in college basketball told Sporting News that some of the officials showed up Sunday night to check into their hotels and have virus tests. However, they were informed that their rooms at the hotel were not ready and were encouraged by an NCAA representative to use the time before tests are available that evening to have dinner somewhere outside the hotel.

After one of them tested positive on his return, the other five were informed over dinner that they could either quarantine at the hotel for two weeks or leave home and quarantine. Either way, they would be run for the tournament and would not be able to play NCAA tournament games that season.

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After a series of negative tests, no option to quarantine and return to work was given, as was the case, for example, with player tracking in the NFL.

The NCAA made a statement to Sporting News late Monday on the matter: “The NCAA has replaced several officials for March Madness based on a positive COVID-19 test. One officer tested positive on March 15, and five other officers the person interacted with the previous day were identified as exposure risks due to prolonged close contact. Due to tournament logs and contract tracking with local health authorities, these officials may not be able to participate in the tournament. The infected officer must be isolated and the other officers quarantined. Four substitute officials have been pre-approved and are completing pre-tournament testing protocols. Two of the officers will not be replaced. “

The NCAA typically selects close to 100 game officers to handle the event if it is spread across the nation. 60 were selected for this year’s tournament, the source said, presumably to reduce the complication of keeping more people in the “controlled environment” established by the NCAA in downtown Indianapolis.

This means that just 24 hours after the 68-man group was presented, the NCAA had to contend with the loss of 1/10 of its designated acting crew.