LANSING, Mich. – The battled over COVID testing in youth sports went before a judge Tuesday morning in Lansing.
The parent group, Let Them Play Michigan, is looking to stop mandatory weekly testing for athletes. They also want to stop quarantine and mask requirements.
Attorneys on both sides of the argument appeared before a judge during a preliminary injunction hearing.
“We really think that the defendant is trying to pick and choose, in some fashion, which state law governs at which particular point in time,” Let Them Play attorney Ruddell said.
Ruddell said they believe the director did not follow administrative procedures when mandating mask-wearing and routine COVID testing for high school athletes.
“We simply believe that the director can act through the public health code and comply with the State Administrative Procedures Act,” Ruddell said.
Attorney Darrin Fowler said the restrictions are crucial to keep everyone safe.
“What the plaintiffs are asking for here today, through their request for injunctive relief. Patients that ripple detrimentally far broader than just youth athletics in Michigan. It will tear down these protections for nursing homes, students, migrant farmworkers, people in correctional facilities, and all of us in our daily lives,” Fowler said.
Judge Michael Kelly did not make a ruling on Tuesday.
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