Modern Athlete Magazine Issue 131, June 2020 June 2020 | Page 35

primarily the same, but the rate of infection is considerably different, and if allowed to go unchecked, could overwhelm medical resources. On the other hand, if controlled and catered for, the impact should not be that much higher than other causes of death in Africa. That’s an impossible conversation, of course, with anyone who loses a loved one or family member, but in cold essence, the challenge is one of minimising risk and developing mechanisms to control the outcomes. Thus regulations are fluid documents rewritten every day, taking into account new experience. In all sports, the risk factor will never be zero – for example, the risk of a vehicle accident in triathlon, cycling or road running – but in every case, it can be reduced. It ultimately comes down to a balance of the cost of implementing a measure to reduce or remove the risk, versus the level of risk. Taking all risks to as low as possible and having processes and action plans in place for when the risk becomes a reality are the key priorities in managing our way forward in this new era of medical infection management. In cold terms, it’s simply another assessment that we need to incorporate into normal event management. Changes to Prepare For ‘Contact’ will probably be the key word of the future in the running event industry. The risk of infection centres on contact with items, surfaces and people, so minimising contact is one of the goals in risk reduction. Therefore, registration, start and finish are some of the key areas, and how we manage the flow of people will be important. All of these will require clear, direct communication and education to participants, crew and authorities alike. On the day entries bring unpredictable gatherings, so pre-entry will probably be the norm or standard, and race number collection will likely be replaced by delivery or drive-through, or by using rigid time schedules. In some countries, certainly in the Middle East and India, it is already common for runners to have to enter the ‘venue zone’ through metal detectors. This has not been seen in SA, but a similar process with temperature testing may well be a measure introduced in the immediate future. Starts will be an extension of the contender system, whereby those racing for prizes and elite or age performance will gain priority over those running for recreation or personal goals and objectives. Social distancing in any area will be the order of the day, and innovative mechanisms to achieve this will evolve as the sport finds its feet again. Venues will either be bigger, or fields smaller, and movement more controlled, while the size of the field will be restricted, and race distances may initially be reduced to minimise the challenges of runner support. The relatively unique experience of a South African (or Indian) post-race gathering will initially tend to disappear and our events will become more like the major city events around the world, where one simply crosses the finish line, walks on, collects a sanitised bag of essentials, and leaves as soon as possible from the venue. Tog bags will probably become something for your own self-keeping, and medals and handouts will likely be delivered days or even weeks later. Also, officials and event staff will have their own separately sanitised areas, and there will be a whole process of testing, monitoring and procedures for when an infectious patient is detected. Gaming the Rules All of the above, and much more, is possible, and probably the best means of that is through smaller club type events, where even the professional companies will gain from a process of testing, sharing and educating. But South Africa’s biggest challenge, and indeed the risk to the return of our sport, is not in finding solutions, but in ‘gaming the rules.’ We have, in the past three decades, enforced by the need for regime-change in the 1980’s, adopted a policy of questioning rules, and instead of finding ways to work within processes, people have tried to find ways ‘around’ the rules, regulations and processes. If that is the approach taken by even the smallest percentage of runners to a race organiser’s event processes, there is every likelihood that the impact will not only be a failure of that specific event, but to the sport as a whole. Road races take place in a myriad of circumstance and few are exactly the same, so there will be no simple cut-and-dry repeatable processes. Each event will have different solutions until some new norms can be established. Thus races will require not only safety officers, but on-site COVID/infection officers monitoring the event, with the total authority to call halt at any time. Furthermore, event evaluation and risk assessment is likely to be a national requirement, and certification probably a federation (ASA via the provinces) requirement prior to entries opening. It is going to be vital for runners of all levels to change their approach, in order to adhere rigorously to race rules and instructions such that the event can move forward smoothly. Linked to that is that race organisers will have a far greater responsibility and requirement to be able to communicate exactly and precisely with each runner, to explain exactly how and what they are expected to do and when. There can no longer be ‘special people’ or exceptions, as they will destroy the planning and put the event and others at risk. Positive Outlook Needed It goes without saying that the early months of a return to races will have the most difficult challenges to overcome, and the requirements and measures can only evolve with the willing buy-in of the runners. This means that self- and peerpolicing are the only way our sport can progress, so that unacceptable behaviour or practises can be called out and prevented on the day, while post-event audits and reviews will look for better ways forward. We can sit back and continue to cancel events, and write the year off, or we can start with small ambitions, adopt a responsible approach and attitude, and commence our innovation, planning and preparation to make our way back. This positive risk-assessment and mitigation approach will allow us to present a solid case to the authorities and allow the return as soon as viably possible. But in the end, we are our own biggest threat: If we as runners and support personnel are not willing to comply, then we will self-destruct our own progress. ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Norrie represented Scotland and Great Britain in numerous ultra-distance events, then emigrated and represented South Africa in triathlon. He is an IAAF-accredited coach and course measurer, and travels all over the world to work on events, including the Olympics. He has authored two books (Everyman’s Guide to Distance Running and Every Beginner’s Guide to Walking & Running), and counts 21 Comrades medals amongst his more than 150 ultramarathon medals. You can read more from him at www.coachnorrie.co.za. 35