SAI issues SOP for high-performance athletes who test Covid-19 positive

at 3:02 pm

New Delhi (NVI): The Sports Authority of India (SAI) today issued standard operating procedure (SOP) for high-performance athletes who had tested positive for COVID-19 and are training at SAI centres.

According to the new guidelines, which has been termed “Graduated Return to Play” (GRTP), all SAI officials and centres have been asked to monitor the progression of athletes who have tested positive for COVID-19 and are undergoing training in SAI facilities.

“The SOP has been divided into three different categories, based on COVID -19 cases,” the Ministry of Youth Affairs and Sports said in a statement.

1. Category One: COVID-19 Positive & Asymptomatic (mild localized symptoms that resolve within 10 days)

2. Category Two: COVID-19 Positive & Prolonged Course (Regional / systemic symptoms for more than 10 days) or severe symptoms that required hospitalisation

3. Category Three: COVID-19 Positive & Symptoms during GRTP progression (Post recovery complications)

Under the new guidelines, all SAI officials have also been given strict instructions and added responsibilities with regards to training athletes who test positive for COVID-19 virus.

“SAI is also identifying medical and paramedical experts to designate at each centre to ensure clinical assessment of COVID-19 infection on the athletes and implementation of the guidelines stated within the SOP, ” the guidelines stated.

These designated medical and paramedical experts are being instructed to ensure clarity with regards to the GRTP progression in the result of the Post COVID-19 Infection Clinical Assessment, it added.

Further, coaches have been instructed to plan a physical activity at 50 per cent of normal intensity and volume for an otherwise healthy patient with a self-limiting course of COVID-19 who has been asymptomatic for 7 days, the guidelines said.

As per the guidelines, the medical and paramedical staff have been asked to monitor the progress of the athletes regularly and give advice to athletes and coaches for gradual resumption to training.

“Athletes would be monitored before, during and after the exercise sessions and if any unwarranted symptoms are there it would be reported to the medical team for further assessment,” it added.

-RJV