HQ Releases COVID-19 and Athlete Safety Protocols for 2020 Games

On Monday, July 27, the CrossFit Games official Instagram posted about how important their safety protocols and procedures were to their annual competition. More specifically how those protocols and procedures are important in their ability to protect the athletes, staff, volunteers and the members of the community when they attend the Games. Included with that post were directions on how to access the Games on-site safety guidelines and their COVID-19 protocols.

The CrossFit “Bubble:” Taking a page from the NBA and the implementation of a “Bubble” to prevent the spread of COVID-19 among their players, coaches and support staff, HQ has adopted similar standards and practices in an effort to keep a sanitary field of play while keeping athletes safe when not competing. Here are some of the highlights:

• All individuals that attend the 2020 Games including the athletes will be under the guidance and supervision of the CrossFit Medical Team, in cooperation with local health authorities.
• This year’s medical team will also include medical professionals and public health experts who have developed thorough and responsive safety protocols for the Games.
• Among those protocols is that all athletes and staff will be screened and tested before traveling and upon arrival, before entering the competition bubble.
• Interactions between those inside the bubble and the outside public will be restricted.
• Experienced medical personnel will be on-site at all times, monitoring protective measures and performing screening and procedures to safeguard the event.
• All fields of play will be secured and regularly decontaminated.
• Medical professionals will closely monitor all competition facilities.
• Attendees will need negative screenings and must produce two negative test results for active infection before they are admitted to the “bubble”.
• The protocols call for the wearing of masks, distancing, and hand and surface decontamination, to limit transmission within the “bubble.”

Diving deeper with the General Manager of the CrossFit Games, Justin Bergh, to Morning Chalk Up:

• “The safety of our athletes, staff, and community has always been our highest priority for the Games.”
• While developing our safety protocols, our team of medical professionals reviewed the current medical literature, guidance on best practices, and the plans of other major sports leagues and sporting events.”
• “Beyond the protocols that we have publicly released, we also have developed detailed plans for a range of contingencies, including an athlete or staff member who tests positive. We will continue to modify and communicate adjustments to our plan as we observe other events and as we release our own event specific details closer to the competition.”
• “Also worth noting, athletes and staff at the Games will be required to have two negative COVID tests prior to joining the competition and will participate in daily screening for symptoms for the duration of the event. Temperature checkpoints, masks, cleaning stations, and other personal supplies will be provided to further reduce their risk.”

The bottom line: The introduction of these new protocols and safety measures comes in light of increased safety measures across all major sports organizations as positive COVID-19 cases have seen a rise in numbers across the United State. The current narrative that HQ has taken in response to the pandemic is a far cry from what they posted on social media over two months ago in regards to COVID-19 and athlete safety. With one of the main concerns of the recently organized Professional Fitness Athletes Association (PFAA) being athlete safety and the PFAA getting a seat and platform to speak on it at the recent Future of CrossFit Summit in Boulder, CO, HQ appears to be listening and taking more action under the leadership of Eric Roza.