CREDIT: EMILY STEWART
Varsity athletes at Fanshawe will be required to show proof of a COVID-19 vaccine if they hope to participate in collegiate sports this upcoming season.

Varsity athletes at Fanshawe will have to get the shot if they hope to take any shots this season.

On Friday, Fanshawe College announced that student athletes looking to compete with the Falcons this coming season will need to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19.

After an 18-month pause on varsity competition in Ont., in-person collegiate sports are set to return this fall. As such, Fanshawe Athletics has adopted a new set of conditions for athletic hopefuls.


As a condition of participation in the 2021-22 sports programming at Fanshawe, student athletes will be required to show proof they have received both doses of a Health Canada approved COVID-19 vaccine.

The decision was made to allow students to participate in sports together, and partake in usual sporting activities such as travelling by bus, staying in hotel rooms and accessing shared locker rooms.

“We're excited to welcome students back to our nationally-recognized Falcons athletics program and to be able to provide competitive opportunities again,” said Nathan McFadden, Manager of Athletics at the College in a statement. “This vaccination requirement is an important and necessary step to facilitate a safe return to on-campus sports and provide the varsity experience to as many students as possible with the least potential disruption in competition.”

Students who require medical accommodation will be able to request an exemption from getting the jab. However, approved exemptions may impact off-campus travel and shared accommodations with varsity teammates.

“We want to make the coming year as safe as possible for everyone – including our student athletes, coaches, staff and their families and classmates, as well as the teams and schools we visit,” McFadden added.

The announcement comes after the college previously mandated vaccines for students living in residence at Fanshawe College. However, vaccines are not required before coming to campus for in-person classes, labs and services.

Read the full statement from Fanshawe Athletics here.

UPDATE: This article includes information regarding COVID-19 vaccination policies at Fanshawe College. Since the publishing of this article, the college has announced that COVID-19 vaccinations will be mandatory to attend campus in the fall. Those who are not yet fully vaccinated, or have an approved exemption, will be required to participate in testing. Visit fanshawec.ca/covid-19 for more information