Georgia sports medicine director Ron Courson has COVID-19

Ron Courson, Georgia football’s Executive Associate Athletic Director and director of sports medicine, has been diagnosed with COVID-19 reports The Atlanta Journal-Constitution.

Courson will miss Georgia’s Saturday night’s matchup against Clemson in Charlotte, but the impact of his diagnosis could affect the entire Bulldogs team and potentially, the entire athletic department.

Ron Courson’s role puts him in physical contact with almost every member of the Georgia program, especially players who are injured.

According to the Atlanta Journal-Constitution, no players have tested positive this week, contact tracing could present an issue.

Georgia has dealt with a number of injuries this offseason and Courson has likely had close contact with players like starting tight end Darnell Washington, transfer defensive back Tykee Smith, wide receivers George Pickens, Jermaine Burton, Kearis Jackson and Dominick Blaylock.

The SEC’s policy regarding coronavirus states that fully vaccinated individuals who are asymptomatic are not required to quarantine after exposure to someone infected with the virus. However, unvaccinated players and staff are subject to quarantine requirements.

Georgia head coach Kirby Smart previously said more than 90% of the team has been vaccinated and praised Courson in the process.

“Ron [Courson] and his staff have done a tremendous job making sure that guys feel comfortable getting the vaccination,” Smart said. “We feel really comfortable with where we are. My goal is always to be 100% because I think that it is the safest thing for our players. In terms of ‘back-to-normal, I would not say it is back-to-normal because it is not exactly normal.”

Ron Courson is a member of the SEC’s Return to Activity and Medical Guidance task force, meaning he has had contact with individuals all throughout the program’s chain of command from the athletic director down to the players and athletic training staff.

Courson has served as Georgia’s director of sports medicine since 1995 and was promoted to Executive Associate Athletic Director in February.

Ron Courson received the Most Distinguished Athletic Trainer award in 2005 from the National Athletic Trainers’ Association, was inducted into the Southeast Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame in 2011 and the National Athletic Trainers’ Association Hall of Fame in 2013. Courson was also inducted into the Georgia Athletic Trainers Association Hall of Fame in 2018.

Georgia is scheduled to play Clemson on Saturday night at Bank of America Stadium in Charlotte.