COVID-19 has strongly impacted sporting participation at all levels of competition, with many large-scale events postponed or even cancelled. Mass gatherings at sporting events have also been severely restricted;[1] such gatherings are a known source of infectious disease transmission, with the potential for global spread upon return to home country.[2] Moreover, it has been previously reported from the 2018 Winter Olympics that infectious diseases, in particular respiratory tract infections, may spread readily within the same sporting discipline or team.[2] This presents strong rationale to manage the participating athletes appropriately to prevent further outbreak of COVID-19. The postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games were supposed to be the most attended gathering in sport of 2020, with the expected participation of 11,090 Olympic athletes and 4400 Paralympic athletes.[3] Now rescheduled to begin in July 2021 (but with potential for further deferral), it is paramount that the COVID-19 status of athletes is managed appropriately to ensure smooth sporting participation and to avoid unnecessary impedance of participants during their training, travel and stay.
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