Following their heartbreaking loss to UConn on Monday night, Baylor’s women’s basketball coach Kim Mulkey gave her thoughts on COVID-19 testing. Mulkey noted that she wishes the NCAA would stop COVID-19 testing now that they have reached the Final Four, with her reasoning behind that players who test positive would miss the game. The controversial comments were unprompted and not in response to a question, according to reporters listening to the postgame press conference.
She began her statement by saying:
“You know I want to say this to all of you. I don’t think my words matter, but after the games today tomorrow — there’s four teams left I think on the men’s side and the women’s side — They need to dump the COVID testing.”
Mulkey continued, explaining why she felt that way.
“Wouldn’t it be a shame to keep COVID testing and then you got kids that end up having tested positive or something, and they don’t get to play in the Final Four, so you need to just forget the COVID tests and let the four teams that are playing in each Final Four, go battle it out,” she said.
Many basketball fans responded to her comments saying it is misinformed, dangerous and irresponsible.
The NCAA has been testing students, coaches and those working the event in order to keep not only them safe, but others when they return to their school. The COVID-19 testing has been one way the NCAA was able to put on a tournament this year, as they had to cancel it last year because it was early in the pandemic with more unknowns and less testing.
There is no reason to believe they would change any COVID-19 protocols now.