PIAA votes to suspend winter athletics for minimum 2 weeks

The Pennsylvania Interscholastic Athletic Association voted Thursday to suspend the PIAA basketball and AA boys' and girls' swimming and diving championships for a minimum of two weeks to allow schools to re-assess health conditions amid the threat of the spreading coronavirus.

The AAA swimming and diving championships, being held Thursday at Bucknell University, will be abbreviated -- with limited spectators and will end following the completion of the mid-afternoon diving sessions.

PIAA members believe the hiatus will afford schools the necessary time to make decisions to "promote optimal health conditions in their communities".

"The Board of Directors' are committed to promoting an environment of healthy athletic competition that is consistent with current health department and the Center for the Disease Control guidelines," PIAA Executive Director, Dr. Robert A. Lombardi said in a press release.

Modifications to the winter tournaments' format are expected if the ban is lifted. Among them, according to the release, will be limiting team and spectator parties, health recertification by authorized medical professionals and changes to game day procedures.