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#Elena Delle Donne in shock as WNBA denies her coronavirus request

#Elena Delle Donne in shock as WNBA denies her coronavirus request

July 14, 2020 | 10:04am

Washington Mystics star Elena Delle Donne is at odds with the WNBA’s panel of physicians after her request to opt out of the 2020 season was denied.

“The independent panel of doctors the league appointed to review high-risk cases have advised that I’m not high risk, and should be permitted to play in the bubble,” Delle Donne told ESPN in a statement.

The 30-year-old two-time WNBA MVP has battled chronic Lyme disease since 2008, and is continuing to recover from January back surgery, which repaired three herniated discs. Players who are considered high-risk or have other medical reasons to opt out of the WNBA’s Florida bubble will still receive their full salary. Otherwise, if a player wants to opt out, she will forgo her salary.

“I love my team, and we had an unbelievable season last year, and I want to play! But the question is whether or not the WNBA bubble is safe for me,” Delle Donne said. “My personal physician, who has treated me for Lyme disease for years, advised me that I’m at high risk for contracting and having complications from COVID-19.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention lists several underlying conditions that have the potential to increase a person’s risk of contracting the coronavirus, regardless of age. However, the list does not include Lyme disease.

According to ESPN, the WNBA’s health and safety protocol mandates that the panel of physicians use the CDC’s guidelines in evaluating potentially high risk cases. Its decisions are also final, which means that Delle Donne cannot appeal.

Elena Delle Done
Elena Delle DoneGetty Images

“When I talked to Elena, her initial reaction was disbelief,” Delle Donne’s agent, Erin Kane, told ESPN in response to the physicians’ ruling, “I know doctors don’t always agree with each other and that there are different opinions on certain things within the medical community, and now I have a player who is in an incredibly difficult decision because of the way things line up.”

The six-time All-Star has yet to travel with her teammates to live in the WNBA bubble, located at IMG Academy in Bradenton, Fla. The abbreviated season is currently scheduled to start on July 25 as the Seattle Storm face the New York Liberty.

Florida currently has over 282,000 confirmed cases of coronavirus in the U.S. and is a growing hot spot. On Sunday, the state set a new record with more than 15,000 new cases.

Last season, Delle Donne averaged 19.5 points as well as 8.2 rebounds, while leading the Mystics to a WNBA title.

Tina Charles, Delle Donne’s teammate after an offseason trade with the Liberty, is also currently waiting on a decision from the medical panel.

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