The Olympic Federation of Ireland’s call for exemptions to current Covid-19 restrictions to assist athletes has been supported by Irish competitors.
The Federation says that restrictions including a 5km travel limit in the Republic, puts athletes “at a significant disadvantage that may become too big to breach”.
Peter Sherrard, the OFI’s chief executive, said: “The solution is a simple waiver”.
He added that different restrictions and thus training options in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland was a “concern”.
He also noted that Banbridge rower, Phillip Doyle, is training on the River Lagan and is unable to travel to the National Rowing Centre in Cork.
“There are also issues with UK guidelines on swimming for example and Irish athletes are wondering what system are they in”, he said.
Sherrand believes that a waiver would help “this small number of athletes so that they can travel the required distance to train, just as their competitors, internationally, have been granted weeks ago.
Frustrations of this nature are being experienced by elite athletes from a variety of sports.
“Our Olympics sports have all prepared very detailed protocols which have been reviewed medically for a return to the venues like the Sport Ireland Campus, the Sport Ireland Institute and the National Aquatic Centre and National Rowing Centre, in advance of, and in isolation from the general public as is happening in other European countries”.
