The CIAC met with athletic directors across the state this morning to discuss fall season tournaments and to preview the upcoming CIAC Winter Sports Plan. The finalized Winter Plan is expected to be released next week. The CIAC continues to collaborate closely with its medical consultants and the Connecticut State Department of Public Health (DPH) to ensure its guidance aligns with the latest COVID data and with the judgment of pandemic experts.  Highlights of the CIAC Winter Sports Plan include:

• Vaccinated athletes will not be required to wear masks while competing in any winter sport. Unvaccinated athletes will need to wear a mask while competing except in sports where masks can pose a safety risk. Masks will be required at all other times, regardless of vaccination status.
• When a mask may create a safety hazard while competing, student-athletes will not be required to wear a mask regardless of vaccination status during active competition. Masks will be required at all other times, regardless of vaccination status. 
• Multi-team events in indoor track, wrestling, gymnastics, etc. will be permitted. Event organizers should consider strategies to reduce the amount of idle student-athletes at multi-team events. 
• Interstate competition will be permitted.

The CIAC wants to remind players, coaches, officials, parents and fans that vaccinations are the best mitigation strategy in preventing COVID-19 and the flu from negatively impacting interscholastic athletics.