Vaccinated high school athletes in Connecticut will not have to wear masks while competing during the upcoming winter season, the state organization that oversees high school said Friday.
The Connecticut Interscholastic Athletic Conference said players who are not vaccinated against COVID-19 will be required to mask up, except during times when the mask is deemed a safety hazard.
Those times would include jumping at an indoor track meet, performing a gymnastics routine during which a mask could potentially block an athlete’s vision if accidentally pushed up, or competing in a wrestling match, when a mask could block vision if pushed up or become a choking hazard if pushed down, CIAC spokesperson John Holt said.
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The CIAC met with athletic directors from across Connecticut on Friday morning to brief them on plans for fall season tournaments and to preview the winter sports plan.
Officials said there are expected to be several other changes from last year’s pandemic-altered plan.
Multi-team events in sports such as indoor track, wrestling and gymnastics will be permitted this school year, but the CIAC is asking event organizers to find strategies to reduce the amount of idle student-athletes who are present at multi-team events.
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The organization said it also plans to allow teams to travel to out-of-state competitions and allow out-of-state teams to compete in Connecticut.
The final plan is expected to be released next week, Holt said.
