Alabama’s Saban Cleared To Coach After 3rd Negative Test
Oct 17, 2020, 5:10 PM
Head coach Nick Saban of the Alabama Crimson Tide reacts before the game against the LSU Tigers at Bryant-Denny Stadium on November 09, 2019 in Tuscaloosa, Alabama. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
(Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
TUSCALOOSA, Ala. (AP) — Alabama coach Nick Saban will be back on the sideline against Georgia after all.
RELATED STORIES
The Southeastern Conference cleared Saban on Saturday to coach in the game after he tested negative for COVID-19 the past three days.
The move came hours ahead of Saturday night’s game between the second-ranked Crimson Tide and No. 3 Bulldogs.
Saban had initially tested positive on Wednesday, along with athletic director Greg Byrne. Team physician Jimmy Robinson said Saban was tested the next three mornings, and the initial result was deemed a false positive.
Breaking: Alabama coach Nick Saban has been cleared to coach in tonight's game against Georgia following a third negative COVID-19 test Saturday, the school announced. pic.twitter.com/gT5hecDdAk
— SportsCenter (@SportsCenter) October 17, 2020
“Those three negative tests satisfied the SEC protocol for a false positive,” Robinson said. “Out of an abundance of caution, two additional PCR tests were administered at the same time on Thursday and Friday and were tested by a separate lab. Those tests were also negative.”
The initial positive came from an outside lab Alabama had used to supplement the testing mandated by the SEC.
