Gov. Whitmer signs executive order mandating face covering for organized sports

Most Michigan high school sports are getting a late start this fall, and now a new executive order will make sure you see sports like you've never seen before.

Gov. Gretchen Whitmer signed an Executive Order 2020-180 on Wednesday, mandating a face covering be worn at all times by "athletes training for, practicing for, or competing in an organized sports when the athlete cannot maintain 6 feet of social distance, except for occasional and fleeting moments."

Swimmers are excluded from this order, but football, soccer and volleyball players are not.

So, expect to see players on the field and on the sidelines wearing masks under their helmets when games begin Sept. 18. 

This order does not apply to pro sports, though. 

According to a governor's spokesperson, teams like the Lions don't have "to operate nothwithstanding any other provision of the order as long as they do so subject to a CDC compliant safety plan and without live audiences."

The Lions will not host fans at Ford Field for Sunday's season opener against the Bears or the Oct. 4 game against the Saints. But the team hopes to be able to have some fans for their six other home games this season.

Last week, Whitmer signed an executive order that reopened gyms throughout the higher populated sections of Michigan. And though in that order she recommended against high-contact sports, she is allowing them, paving the way for the MHSAA to give the green light to fall sports. 

Contact Kirkland Crawford: kcrawford@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @HiKirkHere.