Empty seats (Photo by Friso Gentsch/Pool via Getty Images )
New order will allow foreign-born athletes to enter U.S.
The sports world seems to slowly be coming together again and a new order from the acting U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Chad Wolf will allow athletes living outside the U.S to enter the states, even if travel bans are in effect.
“Professional sporting events provide much-needed economic benefits, but equally important, they provide community pride and national unity,” Wolf wrote (h/t The Score) “In today’s environment, Americans need their sports. It’s time to reopen the economy and it’s time we get our professional athletes back to work.”
Which leagues will be affected?
This news comes as sporting leagues are deciding where and when to re-open their seasons. The MLB has been toying with an 81 game season, for example. The order specifically mentions leagues such as the MLB, the NBA, the NHL, the WNBA, the PGA and LPGA tours, and the ATP and WTA tennis tours.
Currently the only sports happening in the U.S are MMA fights via the UFC promotion and WWE events. The UFC returned to action two weeks ago and has held three events to arguable success. There was one athlete, Jacare Souza, and two coached who flagged for positive coronavirus tests and he was removed from his upcoming fight.
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