UNC athletics extends suspension through Saturday due to coronavirus

Update, 8/21, 6:20 p.m.: The UNC Athletics department has announced on social media that its suspension on athletic activities will continue through Saturday, Aug. 22.

Update, 8/20, 8:10 p.m.: The UNC Athletics Department has extended its suspension of all athletics-related activity through Friday, Aug. 21, according to a University spokesperson.

Gary Paczesny, director of creative services and athletic communications, confirmed reports of the suspension in an email Thursday evening.

"We will continue to work with the University to evaluate the situation," Paczesny said in the email.

The UNC Athletics Department announced Wednesday afternoon in a statement that all athletic activities would be suspended until at least 5 p.m. Thursday, citing the upward trend in positive cases that caused UNC to move to fully online classes. 

"After consulting with our health experts and University leadership, we are taking this action to protect our students, coaches and staff,'' Director of Athletics Bubba Cunningham said in a statement. "We want to make sure we continue to do everything we can to ensure that that our teams, campus and community remain healthy.''

The statement said athletes would continue to have access to "academic support, student-athlete development, medical care and nutrition," and would still be expected to follow UNC's community standards. 

UNC had previously announced it intended to allow athletes to remain on campus, even as it asked the general student body to cancel their housing contracts and return to a permanent address. 

"Our student-athletes will continue to attend online classes, and may choose to remain in their current on- and off-campus residences. Workouts and practices will continue under the standards set by our University, health officials and department," a spokesperson for the athletics department said on Monday when announcing the athletics department's decision to allow athletes to remain on campus.  

"We still are expecting to play this fall, and we will continue to evaluate the situation in coordination with the University, the ACC, state and local officials, and health officials," the spokesperson said. "The health and safety of our student-athletes, coaches and staff, and community remains our priority."

@bg_keyes

@DTHSports | sports@dailytarheel.com