BALTIMORE, MARYLAND - MARCH 06: Empty stands are seen as Worcester Polytechnic Institute plays Yeshiva in the second half during the NCAA Division III Men's Basketball Championship - First Round at Goldfarb Gymnasium on at Johns Hopkins University on March 6, 2020 in Baltimore, Maryland. On Thursday, Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan announced that Maryland had confirmed three cases of residents with COVID-19, otherwise known as the Coronavirus, prompting Johns Hopkins officials to host the NCAA men's basketball tournament without spectators.

NCAA not yet recommending cancellations over COVID-19 fears

6 years ago
Patrick Smith / Getty Images Sport / Getty

The NCAA COVID-19 Advisory Panel doesn't currently recommend the cancellation or "public spacing" of athletic events scheduled to be held in public spaces across the United States amid the outbreak of the new coronavirus, though a statement from the panel Friday said that it "recognizes the fluidity" of the situation.

"The key is for all stakeholders and athletes to practice risk mitigation at all events," the statement said.

Still, some athletic programs have already taken precautions.

Earlier this week, Chicago State University called off a pair of basketball games for both its men's and women's teams. On Friday, a Division III tournament game between Yeshiva University and Worcester Polytechnic Institute was played in an empty gym at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore.

Beyond the world of amateur athletics, changes to sporting events have been more common, particularly in parts of the world where more cases of the coronavirus have been reported.

Italy banned fans from all sporting events through at least April 3, a Champions League soccer match between Valencia and Atalanta will be played behind closed doors, and an Olympic qualifier between the Chinese and South Korean women's soccer teams has been relocated from China to Australia.

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