FAYETTEVILLE — Dr. Chris Arnold, an orthopedic surgeon who since 2008 has been the head team physician for all University of Arkansas sports, is part of a medical task force guiding the SEC as it prepares to make decisions regarding the return of athletic activities shut down since March 12 because of the coronavirus pandemic.
The group of medical professionals, called “The SEC’s Return to Activity and Medical Guidance Task Force,” according to an announcement Thursday, began meeting in April by video conference and provides updates to SEC presidents, chancellors and athletic directors.
The task force will advise SEC administrators on matters including team gatherings, practices, conditioning and competition.
Any policy changes related to the return of athletic activities, according to the news release, will be approved by the SEC membership.
“It has been a privilege to work with the outstanding medical professionals from around the Southeastern Conference as part of the Return to Activity and Medical Guidance Task Force,’ ” Arnold said in a statement to the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette provided through a UA spokesman. “We have had productive discussion and collaboration on matters related to COVID-19 and other health and wellness issues.
“On the field, there is no league more competitive than the SEC. However, when it comes to this task force, we are definitely all on the same team when it comes to the continued health and safety of SEC student-athletes, coaches and fans.”
Arnold added that one of his colleagues who is an orthopedic surgeon and Arkansas team physician, Dr. David Yakin, also has been participating in the task force.
All 14 SEC universities have task force members.
“As the Southeastern Conference office continues to closely monitor and learn about COVID-19 and associated public health information, this task force of medical professionals has begun to provide the guidance necessary to make decisions related to the return to athletics activities for SEC student-athletes and to assist in our collaboration with colleague conferences in determining a safe return to athletics competition,” SEC Commissioner Greg Sankey said in a news release. “The expertise of these medical professionals is playing an important role in our continuing focus on the health and well-being of SEC student-athletes.”
According to the SEC, the task force is responsible for identifying:
m Recommended protocols and best practices for guiding the safe return to in-person meetings on campus, individual workouts, offseason activities and skill instruction, and practice activities for student-athletes and coaches.
m The desired amount of practice and training time required to safely acclimate student-athletes into competition.
m Opportunities for a return to competition, including considerations for student-athletes, administrators, support staff, officials and fans.
The SEC previously canceled all sports for the remainder of the 2020 spring season and suspended in-person athletic activities, whether voluntary or required, on its campuses.
Other members of the SEC’s medical task force along with Arnold are:
• Dr. Jimmy Robinson, Alabama team physician and medical director
• Dr. Mike Goodlett, Auburn chief medical officer and team physician
• Dr. Jay Clugston, Florida team physician
• Ron Courson, Georgia senior associate athletic director for sports medicine
• Jim Madaleno, Kentucky executive associate athletic director for sports medicine and performance
• Dr. Catherine O’Neal, LSU Health Sciences Center assistant professor of medicine and infectious diseases
• Dr. Marshall Crowther, Ole Miss medical director and sports medicine physician
• Dr. Cliff Story, Mississippi State director of health services
• Dr. Stevan Whitt, Missouri senior associate dean for clinical affairs and school of medicine chief clinical officer
• Dr. Zoe Foster, South Carolina program director for primary care sports medicine fellowship
• Dr. Chris Klenck, Tennessee head team physician
• Dr. Shawn Gibbs, Texas A&M school of public health dean
• Dr. Warne Fitch, Vanderbilt associate professor of emergency medicine and orthopedics