Georgia’s Smart says declining invitation for White House visit was not political

ATHENS, Ga. (AP) — Georgia coach Kirby Smart insists there was no political motivation behind the decision for his national championship football team to decline an invitation to visit the White House in June. Instead, Smart says scheduling issues, including a youth camp in June at the Georgia football facility, made it impossible for the Bulldogs to accept the invitation 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.” Smart told the Athens Banner-Herald “Timeline-wise it didn’t work.”