SMU's Coronavirus Waiver Dismisses Athletes' Rights To Litigation

SMU is joining Ohio State in “requiring student-athletes to sign a liability waiver prior to returning to campus for voluntary workouts,” though the Mustangs differ from OSU in that their document “waives the students’ rights to litigation,” according to Sam Blum of the DALLAS MORNING NEWS. The waiver was “developed by SMU’s Office of Legal Counsel, and requires student-athletes to agree that they cannot hold the school liable for anything related to COVID-19.” It is “unclear if the document is legally binding.” SMU AD Rick Hart indicated that the document “serves multiple purposes, including letting the student athletes know about the risk and mitigating the institution’s risk.” Blum notes the waiver “asks student-athletes to acknowledge that SMU spoke to them regarding health risks and that they had the opportunity to review CDC guidelines regarding travel.” The athletes also must “acknowledge they had the opportunity to ask SMU questions, and that those questions were answered" (DALLAS MORNING NEWS, 6/16).