FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
World Athletics publishes outbreak-prevention guidelines
for competition organisers
World Athletics has today published a set of health and safety guidelines
to assist competition organisers to minimise the risk of spreading
coronavirus when staging in-stadium outdoor events during the current
pandemic.
The guidelines, drafted by World Athletics' Health and Science Department,
also address the post-peak period, as described by the World Health
Organization (WHO) and are based on scientific and medical knowledge of the
virus responsible for Covid-19.
The document offers guidance for professional athletes, support staff,
technical officials, workforce, volunteers, medical staff and media.
Although it doesn't include guidelines regarding spectators, the WHO has
produced a document and risk-assessment tools for mass gatherings.
Competition organisers are advised to undertake a four-point risk
assessment for all accredited attendants. If an individual scores two or
higher, it is recommended that they should undergo a medical clearance
protocol before the event.
Other recommendations include:
Pre-Event
- Welcome desks organised by local organising committees (LOC) at airports
or railway stations should provide each arrival with a welcome bag that
includes single-use masks (three per day, minimum), bottles of hand
sanitizer, disinfectant wipes, and a leaflet to explain the health and
safety protocols for that particular event.
- When being transported from an airport or railway station to competition
hotels, all passengers and drivers should wear a mask and be seated at an
appropriate distance away from one another. One-way flows should also be
implemented to avoid mixing of people.
- LOCs are also strongly recommended to organise and use a medical
encounter registry, recorded on an electronic system, to facilitate
identification and further contact of potentially infected individuals.
At the Stadium
- Spectators and accredited personnel should have two completely separate
entrances and the flows should not cross. Accredited personnel should only
be granted access to the competition venue if wearing a face mask and with
their personal hand sanitizer.
- Face masks should be worn by everyone in the stadium, with the exception
of athletes when warming up or competing in their event.
- Warm-up zones should be large open-air areas within a short walking
distance of the competition stadium, and access to it should be strictly
controlled. Athletes should be invited to enter the warm-up area following
a specific timetable. All accredited personnel should wear a mask and wash
their hands before entering warm-up zones or dedicated toilets.
- Masks should also be worn in call rooms, which should be arranged in an
outdoor location. It is also mandatory to disinfect chairs between each
use.
In Competition
- The number of people on the field of play should be kept to a minimum,
and officials who will be coming into close contact with athletes should
wear protective glasses or a plastic face shield, in addition to their
mask.
- Once athletes have crossed the finish line, they should try to keep their
distance from the public and officials, where possible, until they collect
their belongings from the call room.
Specific guidelines for individual disciplines:
- starting blocks should be cleaned between each race
- chlorine should be added to the water jump for the steeplechase
- relay batons should be cleaned between each use, and relay teams should
be discouraged from gathering or hugging after a race
- the use of hand sanitizer should be recommended before each attempt in
vertical jumps
- officials should clean the landing mat between each jump, using a mop and
virucidal solution or use a thin layer of recyclable plastic or tissue that
can be placed on the jumping mat
- sand in jumping pits should be mixed with a solution that contains
biodegradable and non-skin-aggressive virucide agent
- officials who handle throwing implements should clean their hands or use
disposable gloves after each handling
- in combined events, the room used by athletes to recover between
disciplines should be open-air, if possible. Coaches should be encouraged
to interact with their athletes using electronic devices.
After Competition
- Media mixed zones should also be outside, if possible, and the number of
people in the area should be kept to a minimum. A plexiglass screen should
be placed between the athletes and the media, and cleaned after each
interview, and separate interview boxes should be used if there are
multiple positions. Without screens, a safety dead zone of three metres
should be adopted when journalists interview athletes, and masks should be
used by both parties.
- To keep the number of people on the field of play to a minimum, live
award ceremonies are not recommended, but alternative digital solutions are
encouraged.
- Once the competition has concluded, a thorough disinfection procedure
should be undertaken.
The full guidelines can be downloaded here. The document is dynamic and
will be updated as and when more evidence and scientific-based knowledge
becomes available.
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