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COVID-19 and Sporting Activity

The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) mission is to lead and enable a united high performance (HP) system that supports Australian athletes/teams to achieve podium success.

Updated 11 March 2022

Return to sport following COVID-19 illness

COVID-19 infections commonly result in asymptomatic or mild symptoms in athletic populations. However, it is very important to return athletes to training using a safe and graduated approach. Athletes should consult their team doctor / sport CMO for guidance while adhering to their state isolation periods.

The Australian Institute of Sport, partnering with the Australian Olympic Committee and Paralympics Australia, is committed to providing the National High Performance Sports System with timely, evidence-based information on the Coronavirus (COVID-19) that recognises the unique concerns and context associated with high performance sport.

Australian Institute of Sport
C4S-Footer-Australian Olympic Committee
Paralympics Australia

Advice and resources

AIS Framework for Rebooting Sport

The Australian Institute of Sport (AIS) and Sport Australia welcome the release by National Cabinet of the National Principles for the Resumption of Sport and Recreation Activities, which provides the pathway for a safe return to sport.

The AIS played a central role in the development of these Principles and they align with the launch of The AIS Framework for Rebooting Sport in a COVID-19 Environment.

The AIS team, led by Chief Medical Officer, Dr David Hughes, developed this Framework in collaboration with sport CMOs around Australia and in consultation with the Federal Government’s CMOs.  The Framework underpins the Principles, and has been adopted by the Australian Health Protection Principal Committee (AHPPC) and National Cabinet as the guide for the reintroduction of sport and recreation in Australia following the COVID-19 pandemic.

The AIS and Sport Australia will continue to work with the National Institute Network and National Sporting Organisations in implementing a safe return to training and competition activities. All sport and recreation resumption decisions should be based on State and Territory COVID-19 public health advice.

Find out more about ‘the AIS Framework for Rebooting Sport in a COVID-19 Environment’ by reviewing the linked documents below.

Framework

Rebooting sport posters

Covid Safe Sport

Sport Australia, in partnership with the State and Territory Agencies for Sport and Recreation have compiled a list of websites with the most up to date information to help sporting organisations undertake competitions and programs in a safe, responsible, and low risk manner.

COVID SAFE SPORT

Sport Trainer practices

Sports Trainers play a pivotal role in the health and safety of participants in all levels of sport, particularly at a community level.

In community sport settings, an Accredited Sports Trainer may be the highest trained individual available to attend to onsite athlete health and wellbeing and as such, may also be suitable to play the role of a COVID-19 safety coordinator. Suitable engagement of Accredited Sports Trainers will be essential in the safe return to sport in our current environment.

4 step process

To successfully perform the role of Sports Trainer in a COVIDSAFE Australia, it is recommended that all Australian Sports Trainers follow a simple 4-step process. This is to ensure the safety of all athletes, support staff and community members.

Sports Trainer practice guide

COVIDSafe plans

It is very important that sporting organisations planning high performance camps have an appropriate COVIDSafe Plan to guide the behaviours of all team members, including athletes and officials. These documents have been created by a working group including representatives from AIS, AOC, Paralympics Australia, Swimming Australia, QAS and Queensland Government. The documents provide guidance about the type of information that should be included in a COVIDSafe Plan for a high performance camp and/or for international travel. The associated template documents allow sporting organisations to create their own, team-specific COVIDSafe Plan, utilising the guidance from the information documents. The content can be modified in the template, to suit the specific sport and the specific environment.

Information and templates

How to wear a mask

AIS Medicine have produced resources to educate the high performance sector on the safe and effective method of using a face mask. View the poster and fact sheet below.

If your sport or NIN would like to utilise these resources, please contact the AIS Communications team, who will happily co-brand the assets with your logo.

Email: aiscommunications@ausport.gov.au

'How to wear a mask' resources

About COVID-19 and sport

Evidence-based information on the Coronavirus (COVID-19) and high performance sport.

Mental Health and Wellbeing

The AIS People Development and Wellbeing team has developed some helpful information to support the wellbeing of athletes, coaches and staff during these unprecedented circumstances.   While this is a global issue, we appreciate that the nature of high performance sport is unique and the impacts on our high performance community are significant.

Mental health & wellbeing posters

Body Image and Eating Behaviours During Isolation

In these unprecedented times even the most resilient athlete will face challenges. Physical distancing, isolation and disruption to training and competition may negatively affect athletes’ body image and eating behaviours.

The AIS and National Eating Disorders Collaboration have partnered to develop targeted resources for athletes, coaches and high-performance staff with information to help recognise warning signs and to encourage athletes to seek help. You can download these useful fact sheets below.

Athletes are encouraged to reach out to a health professional within their sporting organisation (Doctor, Psychologist or Sports Dietitian) if they are struggling. If this isn’t available then you can call the AIS Mental Health Referral Network on +61 2 6214 1130.

National Eating Disorders Collaboration logo

Resources

Funding and assistance for athletes

The following information outlines what athletes can expect now that  "JobKeeper" payments are now ending.  It also provides information on "JobSeeker" and other ways athletes and staff can access support.

Background

The “JobKeeper” program ended on 28 March 2021. It had been operating since 9 April 2020 and provided government subsidies to businesses to help them retain employees throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. The government expects that by now most businesses will have recovered from the worst effects of COVID-19, and that employees should be able to return to working as they were before COVID-19, or close to it.

In summary: if you are an employee receiving “JobKeeper” benefits then those benefits and any JobKeeper related conditions (such as a requirement to work reduced hours) cease on 29 March 2021. If you have lost your job or your hours have been reduced so that you are earning little income, you may still be eligible to receive “JobSeeker” benefits.

JobKeeper

JobSeeker

Further information

For further support please contact: Sara Heasly, AIS Career Development Adviser sara.heasly@ausport.gov.au

Travelling to sporting events

COVID-19 and International Travel for Sport information sheet

With all restrictions for international travel being lifted in most countries, it is still important for athletes, coaches and sport organisations to consider the risks that travel may pose for athlete health and availability.

If you are planning travel overseas competitions, please review the AIS Overseas Travel, COVID-19 and other viral illness information sheet.

COVID-and-Overseas-Travel-2022.pdf

COVIDSafe Plan for a high performance camp and/or for international travel

Individuals are able to travel internationally, but the rules for other countries are ever changing in the pandemic environment. It is recommended that all athletes and other sport organisation personnel review the Australian government regulations for international travel requirements regularly prior to departing and whilst overseas. The federal government provides guidance on any restrictions in relation to international travel on the australia.gov.au website, opens in a new tab.

State and Territory governments have varying quarantine or isolation requirements for returning international travellers. All athletes and teams need to be aware of the state requirements, opens in a new tab before making travel arrangements and be aware that these are subject to change rapidly.

Based on their individual circumstances, sports should take prudent steps with regard to test events, international competitions and training camps. The Smart Traveller, opens in a new tab web page provides advice regarding the current travel advice for Australians. This will include an overall recommendation and specific note of COVID-19 contribution if this is applicable.

There are four levels of advice:

The Smart Traveller site also has explanations of what this means for the general public, opens in a new tab.

Further Information

Athletes arriving in, or returning to Australia

Participation of international athletes and returning Australian athletes

Current advice is that fully vaccinated, opens in a new tab Australian citizens, permanent residents and eligible visa holders can travel to and from Australia without needing to apply for a travel exemption.

This is subject to rapidly change dependent on the country of origin and the determined risk of COVID-19 transmission from arrivals of that country (i.e. new variants of COVID-19).

Further Information

References

Valtonen, M., Waris, M., Vuorinen, T., Eerola, E., Hakanen, A. J., Mjosund, K., . . . Ruuskanen, O. (2019). Common cold in Team Finland during 2018 Winter Olympic Games (PyeongChang): epidemiology, diagnosis including molecular point-of-care testing (POCT) and treatment. British Journal of Sports Medicine, bjsports-2018-100487. Retrieved from http://bjsm.bmj.com/content/early/2019/05/29/bjsports-2018-100487.abstract, opens in a new tab. doi:10.1136/bjsports-2018-100487

Wu, Z., & McGoogan, J. M. (2020). Characteristics of and Important Lessons From the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Outbreak in China: Summary of a Report of 72 314 Cases From the Chinese Center for Disease Control and Prevention. JAMA. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2020.2648, opens in a new tab. doi:10.1001/jama.2020.2648

Zhang, S., Diao, M., Yu, W., Pei, L., Lin, Z., & Chen, D. Estimation of the reproductive number of Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) and the probable outbreak size on the Diamond Princess cruise ship: A data-driven analysis. International Journal of Infectious Diseases. Retrieved from https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijid.2020.02.033, opens in a new tab. doi:10.1016/j.ijid.2020.02.033

State and territory specific coronavirus advice

Find state and territory contacts for return to sport submissions here:

35881_Sport-contacts-for-return-to-sport-submissions.pdf

Keep up to date with developments

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