Champion Georgia declines invite to White House

ATHENS, Ga. — Georgia‘s national championship football team is declining an invitation to visit the White House.

According to a statement released by the Georgia athletic association on Tuesday, the Bulldogs will not be able to attend a June 12 event with other college teams at the White House. The event is described by President Joe Biden and first lady Jill Biden as “College Athlete Day.”

The statement from Georgia says the team’s schedule interferes with the suggested date that was provided in an invitation received earlier this month.

“The University of Georgia first received on May 3 an invitation for the Bulldog football team to visit the White House on June 12,” the statement from the athletic association said. “Unfortunately, the date suggested is not feasible given the student-athlete calendar and time of year. However, we are appreciative of the invitation and look forward to other opportunities for Georgia teams moving forward.”

Georgia did not provide more specifics of the schedule conflict.

Some professional championship teams, including the 2021 Atlanta Braves, have made White House visits during the Biden administration. This year’s NCAA men’s and women’s championship basketball teams from UConn and LSU, respectively, are scheduled to visit the White House on May 26.

Coach Kirby Smart and quarterback Stetson Bennett led Georgia to its second consecutive national championship with a 65-7 runaway win over TCU.