HIV/AIDS coupled with professional sports, simply boils down to two words: Magic Johnson.

Since the arrival of the virus, the sporting world and HIV/AIDS have no experiences of a head-to-head bout that resulted in an athlete contracting the virus. Although there are several well known athletes that have been stricken with the disease outside of their sport.

These athletes include Arthur Ashe, who contracted the disease through a blood transfusion during heart surgery. In 1996, world class boxer Tommy Morrison was diagnosed and retired from the sport soon after. Diver Greg Louganis knew he had the virus since 1988, but didn’t go public until 1995. And the poster boy of HIV/AIDS within the sporting realm is no other than number 32 of the Los Angeles Lakers, Ervin Magic Johnson.

In November 1991 Magic Johnson announced to the world that he was HIV-positive. With the sports world in a frenzy, Johnson retired and would later play in the 1992 All Star game and in perhaps the best-assembled Olympic Dream Team of 1992, which swept through the opposition on their way to gold.

Just like much of the world, players and coaches from SF State were surprised to learn one of the great superstars had HIV.

“I remember the date as if it was yesterday. I was in the barbershop getting my hair cut and the special announcement was on ESPN. I like many was shocked and saddened, as Magic Johnson was a hero during my era and everyone loved what he meant to the game of basketball,” said Joaquin Wallace, the women’s head basketball coach.

Later, Johnson became a spokesman for HIV/AIDS and is still living with HIV after more than 10 years. Medicine and treatment have prolonged his lifespan and he is seen as a role model for many of people. He has grown into a business guru, owning Starbucks chains, Fatburger, real estate, and 24 Hour Fitness chains.

Johnson’s success and no visible signs of the virus destroying his body give people like Bianca Rayford, former SF State woman’s basketball player from 2003-05, the idea that he is no longer HIV-positive.

“It’s like it went away, you don’t hear about it,” said Rayford.

After Johnson’s announcement many players and fans had mixed feelings about whether Johnson should continue to play basketball. Karl Malone, a future Hall of Famer, expressed his feeling that he did not feel comfortable playing against Johnson because he was concerned that he would contract the virus.

“Karl Malone was not the only player with this fear," said SF State men’s basketball coach Bill Treseler. "Again, the understanding of how the disease was transmitted was really primitive. Today, there is a much more comprehensive understanding that the risk of transmission in basketball is very low. Many people really wanted to see Magic Johnson play again, me included; at that time you had to understand the concern of other players.”

In basketball today, when there is sign of blood on an athlete, the athlete in question is immediately taken out and treated. In the United States there is no law that permits players to have to disclose their medical conditions to the team-only if persons are in great danger the team and staff will be notified, which raises some question for contact sports, such as football, basketball, boxing, and others.–

“No one has the right to know about another individual’s medical history or condition unless there is a genuine physical threat to others. HIV is communicable but not contagious, there’s a big difference,” said Treseler.

Oscar Edwards, a player from the SF State men’s basketball team said he would play basketball no matter what because of the knowledge and information he knows today.

“Just because someone has HIV or AIDS, is not going to stop me from playing because I know I can’t contract the disease from sweat rubbing off, said Edwards. A person with HIV/AIDS is still a person; they can do whatever I can do.”

Rayford, expressed that she would have wanted to know if another player had the virus when she participated in basketball because it’s a contact sport.

“I probably would be cautious, I will still play, but it would be in the back of my mind, especially if the person is guarding me,” said Rayford.

Contracting the HIV/AIDS virus is remotely impossible during sports, especially with what is now known about the virus. Despite some player’s anxiety, there has yet to be a case, in any sport, of an athlete contracting the disease during play.