Are COVID-19 waivers simply an educational tool for student-athletes, or yet another way for schools to assert power?

Donald Trump’s campaign for reelection has something in common with the NCAA’s campaign for football’s return: waivers.

Both are requiring their constituents to sign liability documents to participate in their events. Those attending Trump’s rally in Oklahoma on Saturday, the first since March, must agree to a waiver that absolves the campaign of liability if supporters become ill. Meanwhile, college athletes across the nation, while returning to their campuses for workouts, are agreeing to similar disclaimers that protect universities from lawsuits if players contract the coronavirus. But there’s a fundamental difference, says Michael Leroy, a professor in the Illinois College of Law.

“A 50-year old man who says, ‘I’m going to the rally,’ that’s a different individual than the 18-year old conflicted about returning who’s afraid to speak up,” he says.