Michigan high school basketball and ice hockey players will be required to wear masks at all times, even during games. Competitive cheer participants will have to wear masks during meets, as well.
Gov. Gretchen Whitmer and the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services announced last week that youth contact sports would be allowed to return this week.
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This week, the Michigan High School Athletic Association announced all participants for basketball and ice hockey “must wear masks at all times.”
“Even if an individual receives a negative rapid or PCR test, a mask must still be worn during competition,” the MHSAA release says.
Students who have disabilities or medical situations that prevent them from wearing masks during competition have to get documentation from a medical provider. They must also complete a negative COVID-19 antigen test within 24 hours or a negative COVID-19 PCR test within 72 hours of each competition and practice, according to MHSAA.
“Both items must be documented, and paper copies shall be made available to all officials and opponents prior to each contest,” the release says.
MHSAA officials in winter sports must also wear masks at all times, unless a medical exception applies. School districts have the right to only hire game officials who wear masks at all times, regardless of medical exceptions, MHSAA announced.
Competitive cheer has been deemed a non-contact sport, but all participants still have to wear masks under the same rules outlined above.
Michigan high school wrestlers must produce a negative rapid antigen test the day before or the day of each meet or a negative PCR test within 72 hours of competition. Wrestlers can compete without wearing masks, but masks are required at all other times outside of actual matches -- including between matches at meets and during practices, MHSAA officials said.