World Rowing Federation

Fédération Internationale des Sociétés d’Aviron

World Rowing Events COVID Testing Guidelines

as at 23 April 2021
The policies and procedures presented below are World Rowing’s recommendations for
implementation by local public health authorities in host countries of events. However, local
authorities have jurisdiction and all local guidelines and policies take precedence and must
be followed by all participants at World Rowing events in 2021.

1. Testing to enter country or venue of event - If a participant is not required to

present a negative PCR test result prior to entering the host country, World Rowing
requires the submission of a negative PCR test result for a test taken within 72 hours
of first entry to the venue, even if travelling to the venue from within the same country.
a. Accredited persons who have had a documented COVID-19 infection within
the last 90 days and have proof of this including dated positive lab testing and
a copy of any medical documentation to assist in the interpretation of repeat
COVID-19 testing post infection, could be released from the World Rowing
requirement of having a PCR-test. These people would still be required to
comply with the host country entry requirements.
b. At the current state of the pandemic, anyone who has been vaccinated
against COVID-19 should be treated as any other accredited persons, and are
not exempt from any testing required for entry to the event.
2. Morning health check - During event, every morning before entering the venue the
team doctor or team medical lead checks the health status of all team members
including a symptom check: if there are any symptoms reported, the team member
must enter immediate isolation, check of temperature, and may not enter the venue
until medically cleared. The checks should be performed daily at least 2 hours before
entering the venue and reported by the team manager to the World Rowing Event
Manager and LOC COVID Officer on request.
3. Venue entrance screening - All other accredited people entering the accreditation
zone have to be screened at entrance for symptoms or elevated temperature.
(Additional local requirements may also apply for screening).
4. Symptoms or Temperature - When COVID-19 type symptoms are present, or
temperature is elevated – in addition to isolation in a room – a COVID test should be
performed. In the situation where the person who has COVID-19 symptoms at their
hotel they should stay at the hotel and remain isolated in their room; the OC will
arrange for a rapid (antigen) test to be performed at the person’s hotel.
a. Testing - All Results are reported to the LOC COVID Officer and World
Rowing Doctor.
i. Positive result of the rapid (antigen) test – LOC COVID Officer
performs a confirmatory second rapid test.
1. Second rapid (antigen) test is positive – isolation, removal
from regatta. Identification and isolation of teammates / primary
contact persons will follow the host country or region’s COVID-
19 laws and policies, contact tracing of primary contacts should
be carried out. World Rowing and the LOC COVID Officer
would review the situation. Local regulations regarding primary
contacts will apply and could lead to the removal and isolation
of the whole delegation for the remainder of the regatta even if
PCR tests are negative.

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 World Rowing Federation
Fédération Internationale des Sociétés d’Aviron

2. Second rapid (antigen) test is negative – consultation with

LOC COVID Officer / medical authority regarding any further
testing before release.
ii. Negative result of the rapid test – consultation with LOC COVID
Officer and World Rowing Doctor before release.
b. Testing of primary contacts – After any positive test result at a regatta, all
“close contacts” should be identified and submit to a PCR test. There could be
an exemption to allow a crew who has been a primary contact with a COVID-
19 positive person to race while waiting for the result of the PCR test, in
consultation with the LOC COVID Officer and local health authorities.
Teammates / primary contacts (depending on what is deemed a primary
contact by local regulations) of positive cases should be subjected to a
screening rapid test. If this rapid test is negative, and they are asymptomatic
they can stay at the venue for 4-6 hours and take part in competition, after
which they must depart the venue and wait for the result of the follow-up PCR
test.
c. Substitutions - COVID-19 positive cases are considered to be medical cases
and substitutions are allowed as medical substitutions within the World
Rowing Rules of Racing (Rules 48 & 49).

5. “Return Home” Testing PCR or antigen test.

a. Negative result – return goes forward as planned.
b. Positive result – Confirm result, place in isolation, removal from regatta.
Inform local public health authorities to implement contact tracing, and
isolation of teammates / primary contact persons will follow the host country or
region’s COVID-19 laws and policies, and could lead to the removal and
isolation of the whole delegation for the remainder of the regatta even if PCR
or antigen tests are negative.

World Rowing Sports Medicine Commission

REFERENCES
1. Adami PE et al. (2020) Infectious Diseases Outbreak Management Tool for Endurance Mass Participation Sporting
Events. An international Effort to Counteract the COVID-19 Spread in the Endurance Sport Setting. Br J Sports Med
2020; doi:10.1136/bjsports-2020-103091
2. Muniz-Pardos B et al. (2020) Collateral Health Issues Derived from the Covid-19 Pandemic. Sports Med - Open 6, 35
(2020). https://doi.org/10.1186/s40798-020-00267-6
3. Nieß AM et al.. Recommendations for exercise testing in sports medicine during the current pandemic situation
(SARS-CoV-2 / COVID-19). 2020; 71: E1-E2. doi:10.5960/dzsm.2020.438
4. World Health Organization. Considerations for sports federations/sports event organizers when planning mass
gatherings in the context of COVID-19: interim guidance, 2020. Available: https://www.euro. who. int/ en/ health-
topics/ health- emergencies/coronavirus- covid- 19/ technical- guidance/ 2020/considerations- for- sports- federations
sports- event organizers-when- planning- mass- gatherings- in- the context-of-covid- 19- interim- guidance, - 14- april-
2020
5. World Health Organization. 4, the who pandemic phases. pandemic influenza preparedness and response: a who
guidance document. Geneva: World Health Organization, 2009.

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Fédération Internationale des Sociétés d’Aviron

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