The Ivy League group of eight elite U.S. universities on Wednesday halted all sports until 2021 because of the coronavirus pandemic. 

A statement from the Ivy League's Council of Presidents said no sport at all would be played during the fall semester, which runs from September until December. 

"With the information available to us today regarding the continued spread of the virus, we simply do not believe we can create and maintain an environment for intercollegiate athletic competition that meets our requirements for safety and acceptable levels of risk," the Ivy League's council said in a statement. 

"This news is disappointing for all of us," Harvard athletic director Erin McDermott said. "While the Fall 2020 experience will be unlike any other, I am confident that we will find positive opportunities in this challenging time. We will keep moving forward through this painful but temporary experience, together."

A decision on whether sports could return in the New Year would be taken at a later date. 

Ivy League executive director Robin Harris told ESPN campus policies designed to mitigate the threat of coronavirus, with many requiring students to study remotely, made sport a non-starter. 

"The campus policies make it impractical for competition to occur, at least through the end of the fall semester," Harris said. 

"It's certainly the right decision for the Ivy League, but it's difficult," he added. 

The Ivy League said practice and other athletic training would be permitted, starting with limited individual and small group workouts. 

Though the coalition of eight academically elite schools, which spread across seven Northeastern states in the U.S., does not grant athletic scholarships or compete for an NCAA football championship, the move could have ripple effects throughout the big business of college sports. 

According to USA Today, the Longhorns football program brought Texas more than 144 million U.S. dollars in 2018. 

The Ivy League announcement affects not just football but soccer, field hockey, volleyball and cross country, as well as the fall portion of winter sports like basketball. 

The decision means Harvard and Yale will not play football in 2020, interrupting a rivalry known as The Game for the first time since the two World Wars. 

Meanwhile, also on Wednesday, the University of North Carolina said 37 coaches, players and staff members among its athletic department have tested positive for the COVID-19, after they conducted 429 tests, leading to a halt of the football team's voluntary off-season workouts. 

(With input from agencies)