NCAA Halts Athletic Activities on Election Day, Urges Schools to Register Students to Vote

The National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) on Friday heaped praise on student-athletes who have participated in the recent protests sweeping the nation and ultimately called on member schools to “assist students in registering to vote in the upcoming national election” and halt athletics activity on Election Day so athletes can head to the polls.

“President Mark Emmert and the NCAA Board of Governors recognize the important role social engagement has on driving positive societal change,” read a Friday statement from the NCAA. “The recent demonstrations following the tragic killing of George Floyd showed the world the power of protest and student-athletes across the country were at the center of that movement.”

The NCAA praised student-athletes who have “recognized the need for change and took action though safe and peaceful protest” while failing to mention the rioting, looting, and assaults that dominated several of the protests over the weeks.

Protesting, however, is not enough, according to the NCAA, which encouraged students to “continue to make their voices heard on these important issues, engage in community activism and exercise their Constitutional rights” by heading to the polls in November. The NCAA also urged member schools to actively “assist students in registering to vote in the upcoming national election and designate November 3, 2020 as a day off from athletics activity so athletes can vote and participate in their ultimate responsibility as citizens.”

As CBS Sports reported, “Several college football programs announced this week that they will give players the day off on Nov. 3 to vote despite it being the middle of game week for most programs,” with “multiple college basketball coaches” demanding the same.

The news comes as throngs of demonstrators take to the streets in protest, spurred by the death of George Floyd. However, the movement has been muddied in recent days as political opportunists seize on the widespread unrest, as demonstrated in Seattle’s police-free “Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone” (CHAZ), which features self-described anarchists and members of the violent group Antifa.