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Athletes arriving in, or returning to Australia

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

  • For international athletes travelling to compete in Australia, the Department of Home Affairs, opens in a new tab details the current travel restrictions in place.
  • The AIS, AOC and Paralympics Australia acknowledge that there is complexity in determining an individual’s risk of transmission of COVID-19 by participating in sporting events and it is inappropriate to impose additional “health measures” which discriminate against certain ethnicities
  • The AIS, AOC and Paralympics Australia strongly support the WHO guide to the prevention and addressing of social stigma, opens in a new tab
  • As a member state of the WHO Australia has obligations to comply with the International Health Regulations (2005), which effectively state that any additional “health measures” such as exclusion from participation must be guided by scientific principles, available evidence of risk to human health and guidance from the WHO.
  • Event organisers should not impose additional exclusion from participation of individuals without considered high level medical input.
  • Dr Tedros, opens in a new tab director general of the WHO discussing stigma in the context of COVID-19

As at 22 September, the AIS has all Centre of Excellence programs training at full capacity.

As travel restrictions relax, onsite training camp activity will increase. Sports interested in arranging a training camp onsite at the AIS should make contact to discuss the current COVID-19 safety plans and for further information on athlete screenings.

If a comprehensive risk analysis is required the WHO document Public health for mass gatherings: key considerations, opens in a new tab should be referred to.

Administrative staff as well as Chief Medical Officers should be familiar with the current case definitions for COVID-19 as outlined by Communicable Disease Network Australia, opens in a new tab (CDNA). CDNA outlines what a confirmed case of COVID-19 is, what a probable case is and who should be considered a suspected case, including who should be investigated for COVID-19. This will help administrative staff understand the current risk and implications if a positive case is identified within a sport or workplace.

What is most relevant currently for Australian event organisers and hosts of international sporting teams:

  • A confirmed case is a person who has had a laboratory confirmed test identifying the presence of the virus.
  • Laboratory tests may not always be available, and it is useful to have other ways of identifying cases, this will include a combination of epidemiological (exposure) and clinical criteria that is identified by treating doctors. These may be referred to as a probable or suspected case.
  • In the elite sport setting from a risk management point of view probable and suspected cases should be approached in the same manner as a confirmed case, even though a laboratory test may not have been conducted. Medical input is required to determine an investigation and management plan for all cases. Non doctors should not be independently referring athletes and staff for investigations.
  • The epidemiological criteria will continue to change based on where areas of COVID-19 outbreak occur in and outside of Australia and what exposure individuals have had to these in the 14 days before the onset of symptoms.
  • People who have been in a team sport setting or training camp with a confirmed case of COVID-19 would likely be considered a “High risk setting” by the local public health unit.
  • All healthcare workers with direct patient contact automatically fill the epidemiological criteria should they become unwell with a clinically compatible illness. Clinicians should have a continuity plan should they find themselves in isolation or become unwell.
  • Public spaces and flights that have had known COVID-19 exposure are listed by state health departments. Doctors and administrators should check these sites regularly.

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