Lawsuit seeks reversal of Michigan's ban on contact sports

By David Eggert
Associated Press

LANSING, Mich. (AP) — An athletic advocacy group, hockey league and parents of athletes sued Michigan’s health director on Tuesday, seeking a reversal of 2 1/2-month state ban on contact sports that was issued to curb the spread of the coronavirus.

Let Them Play Michigan, a group of student-athletes, parents, coaches and school administrators, is among the plaintiffs that filed suit in the state Court of Claims. The complaint contends that the order, which was recently extended through Feb. 21, arbitrarily and irrationally singles out and deprives high school athletes of their constitutional rights and freedoms.

“Unfortunately, there is no other place for citizens to appeal a decision that restricts the parents’ and the student-athletes’ ability to pursue a key component of their public education,” said lawyer Peter Ruddell. “The ban on athletic practice and competitions has restricted the ability of these and many other student-athletes from achieving their career pathway — competing, practicing and potentially gaining a college scholarship.”

The order prohibits contact sports unless all participants, teams and venues comply with an enhanced COVID-19 testing regimen, as conducted by pro and college leagues, or a pilot testing program, which enabled the recent completion of fall high school tournaments that had been suspended. Winter high school sports — basketball, hockey, wrestling and competitive cheer — are effectively restricted to non-contact activities only.

State Health and Human Services Director Elizabeth Hertel, who control of the agency 11 days ago, could not immediately be reached for comment. Gov. Gretchen Whitmer has pointed to the emergence of a more contagious virus variant as a cause for concern.

Still, spokeswoman Tiffany Brown said last week that the governor “is optimistic that we can take steps towards reengagement in sports, just like we are doing with indoor dining, and is reviewing with her public health experts the safest steps forward.”

Other plaintiffs in the lawsuit include the Michigan Amateur Youth Hockey League and the parents of five high school athletes.