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INDIANAPOLIS — The NCAA is sending six referees home from March Madness after one tested positive for COVID-19 on Monday.

The NCAA said in a statement that one game official tested positive and five others were identified as exposure risks because they were in close contact with the ref for an extended period of time.

It’s said a group of 12 refs arrived in Indy on Sunday as instructed, but their hotel rooms weren’t ready and there was no food to eat while they waited, so they were given permission to leave for dinner.

Six of the 12 went to a steakhouse in Indy and upon returning to the hotel one of the refs tested positive. Stadium reported earlier Monday that referees Ted Valentine, John Higgins, and Roger Ayers were among those sent home.

The tournament gets going Thursday with the First Four.