athletes

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Pro Athletes Declared “Essential Workers” By U.S. Government

NHL is returning as soon as July.

The United States government and its priorities are things that we may never truly understand. As social distancing protocols continue to lax around the country despite the ongoing threat of COVID-19, the United States has taken a drastic move to ensure pro athletes are able to return to work.

The current acting Director of Homeland Security has signed an order making professional athletes essential workers. On Tuesday, Bill Daly, the deputy commissioner of the National Hockey League, told reporters in a conference call the order had been passed as the NHL moves to finish its season with a tournament slated to start in July.

In addition to declaring pro athletes essential workers, the US government previously lifted travel restrictions in place to prevent spreading COVID-19 for athletes abroad to be able to return home. 

Clearly, the Trump administration is eager to see sports make a comeback despite the inevitable risks associated with violating social distancing guidelines while coronavirus continues to spread with no known cure or vaccine. Many professional athletes dedicated videos and posts honoring essential workers during this time-- and now they too are being deemed essential.

Earlier this week, Trump pettily used T.I.’s hit song “Whatever You Like” in an anti-Biden ad on Snapchat and released “#YouAintBlack” merch last week following the Biden controversy. Trump also shared his plans to keep the country open during the potential second wave of coronavirus that could occur later this year. 

Would you consider pro athletes “essential”? Let us know what you think. 

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NCAA To Allow Athletes To Profit Off Of Their Name And Likeness

The NCAA is looking to make some historical changes that will make the NCAA a more attractive organization.

For years, the NCAA has been rightfully criticized for the way it continues to treat student-athletes. Essentially, if you play in the NCAA, you aren't allowed to go out and make money on your own in the form of endorsement deals or merchandise. If you do, serious penalties could be handed out, including ineligibility. This has happened numerous times over the last few years as players have been robbed of mundane things such as gifts from their coaches. These rules are archaic and now, young stars in sports like basketball are looking for development opportunities outside of college.

The NCAA is well-aware that their very existence is under attack and now, they are making sure they are a safer place for prospective athletes. As they announced yesterday, the NCAA is inching closer to an official policy that will allow athletes to profit off of their likeness while also accepting endorsement deals while in college.

This is a huge announcement that will forever change the course of college athletics in the United States. Now, some of the biggest college stars will be able to accelerate their brands and help their families financially, sooner rather than later.

While the NCAA tends to get a lot of criticism, there is no denying that they have done something good here.

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Canada Will Not Send Athletes To 2020 Olympics Unless Postponed


If the 2020 Tokyo Olympics continue as scheduled, don’t expect any Canadian athletes to show up.

The Canadian Olympic Committee says the country will not be sending any athletes to the 2020 Tokyo Olympics unless the event is postponed for one year, as a result of the Coronavirus, according to ESPN.

Canada Will Not Send Athletes To 2020 Olympics Unless PostponedTomohiro Ohsumi / Getty Images

“While we recognize the inherent complexities around a postponement, nothing is more important than the health and safety of our athletes and the world community,” the Canadian Olympic Committee said in a statement. “This is not solely about athlete health — it is about public health.”

On Sunday, the International Olympic Committee announced that the organization would decide whether to postpone the 2020 Olympics within the next four weeks.

“We are working very hard, and we are confident that we will have finalized these discussions within the next four weeks,” says IOC president Thomas Bach in a letter sent to athletes. “These scenarios relate to modifying existing operational plans for the Games to go ahead on 24 July 2020, and also for changes to the start date of the Games. This step will allow better visibility of the rapidly changing development of the health situation around the world and in Japan. It will serve as the basis for the best decision in the interest of the athletes and everyone else involved.”

The 2020 Tokyo Olympics are scheduled to begin on July 24.