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Stigma and exclusion from sporting activities

  • 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

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