Mask will no longer be needed for outdoor sports.
Please see the MIAA update below:
May 18, 2021
Dear Member Schools:
The announcement by Governor Baker and the MA Executive Office of Energy and
Environmental Affairs (EEA) on May 17, 2021 regarding the removal of mandatory
masks/facial coverings was reviewed and discussed by the MIAA Sports Medicine
Committee (SMC) Monday afternoon. The SMC voted unanimously to recommend the
approval of the May 17, 2021 EEA guidelines effective May 18, 2021. This
recommendation was forwarded to MIAA President Jeffrey Granatino, MIAA Executive
Director Bill Gaine and Task Force Chairs, Thom Holdgate and Dr. Keith Crowley.
Commissioner Jeffrey Riley and the Department of Elementary and Secondary
Education (DESE) also reviewed this recommendation. All constituents provided full
APPROVAL. You may view the updated EEA guidelines HERE.
To clarify, this means:
- Athletes on spring teams in active play outdoors are not required to wear a mask/facial covering.
- Athletes when they are on the bench or in a dugout are not required to wear a mask/facial covering.
- Athletes in low-risk sports when indoors where a distance of at least 14 feet or more is consistently maintained between each participant, are not required to wear a mask/ facial covering.
- Spectators and chaperones, coaches, staff, referees, umpires and other officials who can social distance while outdoors, are not required to wear a mask/face covering.
- Visitors, spectators, volunteers, and staff while indoors are required to wear mask/facial covering.
- All athletes participating in high school sports are considered youth and fall under youth guidelines
Additionally, there are no changes to individual MIAA sport modifications other than the mask/facial covering mandate. As restrictions are lifted, a review of the EEA guidelines will continue through the MIAA governance process guided by the MIAA Sports Medicine Committee.