Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an acute respiratory disease caused by the Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2 (SARSCoV-2). The World Health Organization (WHO) on March 11, 2020, declared the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak a global pandemic (Cucinotta & Vanelli, 2020). It has wreaked its havoc world-wide and disrupted almost all aspects of our existence. This includes sport. On 24 March 2020, the International Olympic Committee, the International Paralympic Committee and the Japanese Government formally announced a rescheduling of the Tokyo 2020 Olympic and Paralympic Games `to safeguard the health of the athletes, everybody involved in the Olympic Games and the international community` (International Olympic Committee, 2020). Training has been stopped or curtailed because of required social isolation. The Coronavirus has turned the Olympic world upside down. Countless athletes made plans to compete in qualifiers and the Games only to have the scheduled events cancelled, postponed or tentatively rescheduled. The COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 has resulted in widespread training disruption. Some athletes have had access to facilities and equipment, while others have limited or no access, severely limiting their training practices. No doubt that the prolonged isolation training period due to the COVID-19 outbreak has a profound negative effect on the physical capabilities of athletes. As the world begins the slow return to training and competition, there are many considerations that must be taken into account by sporting organizations, governing bodies, medical providers, athletes, and coaches, to name a few. On return to training, the focus should be on progression of all aspects of training, taking into account the status of individual athletes and must be done with the appropriate physical and psychological preparation. Special attention must be given to athletes who have contracted COVID-19, and will be returning to training.
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